blanket

n., adj., & v.
—n.
1 a large piece of woollen or other material used esp. as a bed-covering or to wrap up a person or an animal for warmth.
2 (usu. foll. by of) a thick mass or layer that covers something (blanket of fog; blanket of silence).
3 Printing a rubber surface transferring an impression from a plate to paper etc. in offset printing.
—adj. covering all cases or classes; inclusive (blanket condemnation; blanket agreement).
—v.tr. (blanketed, blanketing)
1 cover with or as if with a blanket (snow blanketed the land).
2 stifle; keep quiet (blanketed all discussion).
3 Naut. take wind from the sails of (another craft) by passing to windward.
Phrases and idioms:
blanket bath a body wash given to a bedridden patient. blanket stitch a stitch used to neaten the edges of a blanket or other material. born on the wrong side of the blanket illegitimate. electric blanket an electrically-wired blanket used for heating a bed. wet blanket colloq. a gloomy person preventing the enjoyment of others.
Etymology: ME f. OF blancquet, blanchet f. blanc white, BLANK