Bolster

 
Daughter-who-takes-photos asked me the other day if there was a name for larger than usual pillows. I said yes but couldn't think of it. It was not the name for what she wanted but I could recall there being long pillows across the double beds when I was young. By chance I then read 'The Girl at the Lion D'Or' and the word came up three times - it was bolster. A bolster is a pillow that stretches right across the bed underneath the regular pillows. I doubt they are still used nowadays.

As a verb, to bolster means to support and strengthen (suh as courage); to boost (such as morale); or to pad (such as the seat of a chair).