qualities of furniture
Ottoman (furniture)
An ottoman is a piece of furniture, a padded, upholstered seat or
bench having neither back nor arms, often used as a stool or
footstool.
An ottoman can also be known as a footstool, tuffet, hassock or pouf.
Some ottomans are hollow, in which case they are often used as blanket
boxes
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Word history
The word ottoman was introduced into English in the "footstool"
sense in 1806 (probably from the identical French word, which also
denotes a type of textile fabric), because the ottoman's typical use
in a reclining position was associated in Europe with the Orient, in
line with fashionable Turkish influence since the early 18th century
(when the Balkans were still partially under Ottoman rule). It is not
supposed to have been invented by the Ottoman Turks (compare divan)..
Tuffet
Tuffet, pouffe or hassock are all terms for a piece of furniture used
as a footstool or low seat. It is distinguished from a stool by being
completely covered in fabric so that no legs are visible. It's
essentially a large hard cushion that may have an internal wooden
frame to give it more rigidity. Wooden feet may be added to the base
to give it stability. If the piece is larger, so that storage can take
place inside it, then it is generally known as an ottoman.
Hassock has special association with churches, as it is used to
describe the thick cushions employed by the congregation to kneel on
while in prayer.
The names tuffet and hassock are both derived from English names for a
small grassy hillock or clump of grass, in use since at least the
sixteenth century. Pouffe is a nineteenth century French import for
"something puffed out".
A tuffet is also an English unit of capacity, equal to 2 pecks, or
half a bushel.
Another connotation of the word tuffet is the description of an
inflatable landing area for precision accuracy parachute landings
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