"act as a cushion" is a correct and usable phrase in written English. You can use it to refer to something which serves to protect someone or something from harm or difficulty. For example, you could say: "The government bailout acted as a cushion against the worst of the economic downturn."
The shadow economy, in other words, can act as a cushion when times are tough.
In return for closer ties with the United States, Mexico seems willing to act as a cushion against migration.
"Now that the Kindle is being sold so cheap, Amazon no longer has the hardware income to act as a cushion".
The levels would act as a cushion against losses, perhaps as much as twice the level specified in new international banking standards.
"We think the Fed's moves will serve to act as a cushion for the economy," said Scott Bleier, chief investment strategist at Prime Charter.
In addition, the layers of albumen act as a cushion to protect the embryo from jarring movements, while the chalazae help to maintain the orientation of the embryo within the egg.
Mr. Haley of Wachovia Securities says that this acts as "a cushion" against market volatility.
A bursa is a membrane near a joint that acts as a cushion between the muscle and bone.
The pom-pom acts as a cushion as you push the plunger up and down in the syringe.
Cerebrospinal fluid acts as a cushion for the brain and spinal cord, supplies nutrients, and takes away waste products.
When an individual suffers a head injury, the fluid acts as a cushion, dulling the force by distributing its impact.
I love the desktop app, it’s always running on my Mac. Ludwig is the best English buddy, it answers my 100 queries per day and stays cool.
Cristina Valenza
Retail Lead Linguist @ Apple Inc.