1. A piece of soft material used to protect something or to give it shape, to clean or to polish articles, or to absorb moisture: Brenda's father had to sit with a foam pad behind his back to help support it.

The doctor put a gauze pad over the wound of Mildred's father.

2. A covering for a specific part of the body that is worn to protect that part from injury: Football players wear a pad for each shoulder and on the hips.
3. A set of paper sheets for writing or drawing which are glued or fastened at one edge: Philip always keeps a pad and pencil, or pen, by the phone.
4. The soft part on the bottom of each paw of a dog, cat, etc.: During freezing weather, each of an animal's foot pad, or the pads of their feet, can be painful.
5. A flat area on the ground where aircraft with big rotating blades can take off or land: Harry's city has a helicopter landing pad close to the hospital, especially for emergency situations.

1. To cover or to fill something with soft material; especially, to protect it or to make it more comfortable: Louis wanted to pad the inside of the box with cloth and crumpled paper.
2. To make something larger, longer, or more attractive by addling things that are unnecessary, unimportant, or false: Too many politicians tend to pad their speeches with accusations that their opponents have caused the economic problems that exist in the country.

1. A long, thin part of some plants that has seeds inside: This pea pod is amazing because it contains ten peas.
2. A group of ocean animals, such as whales, that swim together: During their ocean cruise, Janette and Todd were thrilled to see a dolphin pod plunging and diving next to their ship.