Meaning & Definition of word "Padding"

Padding

/ˈpædɪŋ/

noun:

  • 1. Material used to fill or support something to make it softer or more comfortable.
    • Example: The chair has thick padding to provide extra comfort during long hours of use.
  • 2. Excess material added to text or data to improve formatting or alignment.
    • Example: The document contained unnecessary padding that made it longer than required.
  • 3. An allowance or extra space given in a calculation or measurement.
    • Example: He included some padding in the budget to account for unexpected expenses.

verb:

  • 1. To fill or support something to make it softer or more comfortable.
    • Example: She spent the afternoon padding the quilt with soft cotton.
  • 2. To add unnecessary content or material to a text or data.
    • Example: They padded the proposal with irrelevant information to meet the page requirement.

Etymology

From Middle English 'pad' meaning to stuff or fill.

Common Phrases and Expressions

padding the stats:

Adding unnecessary data to make figures look better.

padding out:

Adding extra material to reach a desired size or length.

run a bit of padding:

To add more content than necessary, often to create ease.

Related Words

cushion:

A soft pillow or pad used for comfort or support.

stuffing:

A mixture used to fill or bulk up food items or other materials.

insulation:

Material that reduces the transmission of heat or sound.

Slang Meanings of padding

Meaning: Excessive elaboration in a story or presentation.

Example Sentence: The movie had a lot of padding, especially in the second act.

Meaning: Unnecessary details added to a report.

Example Sentence: The emails have so much padding, it's hard to find the real message.