pehmustivat

Pehmustivat is the past tense form of the Finnish verb pehmustaa, meaning to cushion, pad, or soften by adding padding or soft material. It is used when multiple subjects performed the action in the past. The related noun pehmuste refers to a cushion or padding.

Etymology and grammar: The verb pehmustaa is formed from the noun pehmuste (cushion, padding) with the -taa verb suffix. The past tense for third-person plural is -ivat, yielding pehmustivat. The corresponding present tense is pehmustavat (they cushion).

Usage: Pehmustaa and its forms are common in technical or descriptive writing about equipment, packaging, furniture, and sports gear, where padding is involved. Example contexts include padding the edges of a tray, cushioning a seat, or adding protective padding to an object during transport. Figurative uses to mean softening an argument are rare compared with pehmentää.

Examples:

- Valmistajat pehmustivat auton ovien reunoja asentamalla lisäpehmusteita. (Manufacturers padded the edges of car doors by installing extra cushions.)

- Käyttäjät pehmustivat vanhemman polkupyörän satulan lisäämällä siihen pehmusteita. (Users padded the seat of an older bicycle by adding cushions.)