Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To supply (furniture) with stuffing, springs, cushions, and covering fabric.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To furnish with hangings, curtains, carpets, and the like, and, by extension, with furniture of different kinds.
  • To provide with textile coverings, together with cushions, stuffing, springs, etc., as a chair or sofa.
  • Hence To provide with any covering.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To furnish (rooms, carriages, bedsteads, chairs, etc.) with hangings, coverings, cushions, etc.; to adorn with furnishings in cloth, velvet, silk, etc..
  • noun obsolete A broker.
  • noun obsolete An upholsterer.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To fit padding, stuffing, springs, webbing and fabric covering to furniture.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb provide furniture with padding, springs, webbing, and covers

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Back-formation from upholsterer.]

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Examples

  • Or for something more comfortable, upholster a small bedroom chair in terry cloth.

    Upgrade Your Bath 2011

  • I would also paint the chairs and maybe get some bright, patterned fabric to upholster the chairs.

    Interior Design Patterns from Hand 2010

  • I want a rolling jalopy one that I can paint sparkly lime green and upholster with mexican striped plankets and a solid sunbrella top with 8 inch fringe on the sides ..... yeah, yeah, but we all have our dreams and I usually find a way to make mine come close ....

    Pulmonaria - driving cart 2008

  • First, I'd like to express my sympathy for whatever embossed little creatures Jaguar uses to upholster the upper deck of this car, the Jaguar XJ Supersport.

    Jaguar Builds a Primped and Pampered Monster Dan Neil 2010

  • I want a rolling jalopy one that I can paint sparkly lime green and upholster with mexican striped plankets and a solid sunbrella top with 8 inch fringe on the sides ..... yeah, yeah, but we all have our dreams and I usually find a way to make mine come close ....

    Pulmonaria - driving cart 2008

  • All I will say is that much as you don't go around carrying change in your vag, you don't upholster a human being.

    Una LaMarche: Project Runway Episode 6 Recap: Bridesmaid Revisited 2010

  • I want a rolling jalopy one that I can paint sparkly lime green and upholster with mexican striped plankets and a solid sunbrella top with 8 inch fringe on the sides ..... yeah, yeah, but we all have our dreams and I usually find a way to make mine come close ....

    Pulmonaria - driving cart 2008

  • I can't tolerate those who upholster ANYTHING with McMurphy plaid.

    The Lunatic Fringe Anne Johnson 2009

  • That Molly/Lunette chick really needs to get her sorry ass to an upholster and fast. that is one not-so-comfy-looking-couch.

    Tuning In 2007

  • The wood is mahogany, and we'd of course re-upholster them said Ginny.

    MORE FROM GINNY BATES: SETTING UP HOUSE Maggie Jochild 2007

Comments

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  • Just for fun

    February 14, 2010

  • Change one letter to make it a different word with the same definition, viz.: "to cover, in a way".

    Answer here.

    August 16, 2014