thump-cushion

English

Etymology

thump +‎ cushion

Noun

thump-cushion (plural thump-cushions)

1. (obsolete) A boisterous, impassioned preacher.
   • 1812, John Wolcot, “Sea Courtship”, in The Works of Peter Pindar, Esq., volume 4, page 117:

     And yet, should the wind chop about, / And thy mouth cease this damn'd squally weather, / Let us send for old Thump-cushion out, / And swing in a hammock together.

   • 1844, Peter Placet, The String of Beads for Romanisers, page 51:

     Rub-a-dub-dub, / The knight of the tub, Evangelical Thump-cushion hight, / Has too long had his way, / And, I'm sorry to say, / Put your orthodox phalanx to flight.

   • 1847, Robert Folkestone Williams, Strawberry Hill‎^[1], volume 2, page 91:

     […] let it be borne in mind, that it was a place for saints as well as for sinners; and, whilst the gayer portion of the community ran after assemblies and all such carnal amusements, the more serious moiety hurried as eagerly to hear the energetic expoundings of the favourite thump-cushion of the season.