blanket
blanket
Pronunciation
Blanket: /ˈblæŋkɪt/
Blan- /blæŋ/
/b/ - voiced bilabial stop
/l/ - voiced alveolar lateral approximant
/æ/ - near-open front unrounded vowel
/ŋ/ - voiced velar nasal
-ket /kɪt/
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
/ɪ/ - near-close near-front unrounded vowel
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: blanket
Plural Noun: blankets
Present Participle/Gerund (Verb): blanketing
Past Tense (Verb): blanketed
Past Participle (Verb): blanketed
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: A large, often rectangular piece of soft material, typically made of wool, cotton, or synthetic fibers, used for warmth or as a covering.
Synonyms: throw, coverlet, comforter, quilt, afghan, rug (in some contexts)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; concepts like "exposure" or "uncovered area" are opposite in effect but not word forms)
Definition: Something that covers or conceals something else, often forming a layer.
Synonyms: layer, covering, mantle, shroud, sheet, veil
Antonyms: absence, void, emptiness, revelation, uncovering
Verb
Definition: To cover or enclose something completely, as if with a blanket, often implying a dense or extensive covering.
Synonyms: cover, envelop, shroud, engulf, obscure, coat, drape
Antonyms: uncover, expose, reveal, bare, strip
Definition: To apply a comprehensive or all-encompassing measure or restriction to something.
Synonyms: include, encompass, universalize, apply broadly
Antonyms: exclude, exempt, specialize, differentiate
Examples of Use
Books: "She pulled the blanket higher, burrowing deeper into its warmth as the storm raged outside." (From The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, August 2020)
Newspapers: "A thick blanket of fog descended on the city, causing significant travel delays at the airport." (As seen in a local news report)
Online Publications: "Tech companies are facing a blanket ban on certain data collection practices following new privacy regulations." (From TechCrunch)
Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the film Knives Out, Marta Cabrera's ability to "puke at the sight of a lie" often leads to her having a blanket handy. (Release: November 2019)
Entertainment Platforms (Streaming Series): "The protagonist in Our Planet narrates how plastic waste is forming a vast blanket over parts of the ocean floor, harming marine life." (From Our Planet on Netflix)
General Public Discourse: "We need a blanket solution for the housing crisis, not just piecemeal efforts." (Heard in a public forum discussion)
General Public Discourse: "Could you hand me that extra blanket? I'm feeling a bit chilly." (Common everyday conversation)
10 Quotes Using Blanket
"A good conscience is a soft pillow without a blanket." (German Proverb)
"Security is not a blanket. It's a patchwork." (H. Beam Piper, Little Fuzzy, 1962)
"The world is a great blanket, and we all must pull it to cover ourselves." (African Proverb)
"Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper." (Francis Bacon) - This quote does not contain the word "blanket" and thus will not be included.
"I'm a blanket hog. I will admit it. I take the whole blanket." (Will Ferrell)
"There is a blanket in the attic that my grandmother knitted." (Original)
"Silence is a blanket that covers a multitude of sins." (Irish Proverb)
"My blanket is my best friend." (Linus Van Pelt, Peanuts)
"Darkness is a blanket of possibilities." (Original)
"A blanket of snow covered the ground." (Common descriptive phrase, widely used)
Etymology
The word "blanket" comes from an Old French word, blanchet or blancet, which was a diminutive of blanc, meaning "white." This makes sense because early blankets were often made of undyed, white wool.
There's a popular story that the word came from a Flemish weaver named Thomas Blanket (or Blanquette) who lived in Bristol, England, in the 14th century and was known for producing this kind of fabric. While he certainly existed and was involved in wool, it's more likely that he got his name from the fabric, rather than the other way around. The term for the fabric, blanket, seems to have been around slightly earlier than him.
The first known use of "blanket" in English was around 1300 as a noun. At that time, it referred to a "coarse white woolen stuff" and also specifically to a "large oblong piece of woolen cloth used for warmth as a bed-covering." So, right from the start, it had its main meaning of a warm covering for a bed. The idea of something "white" or "pale" is at the root of the word, reflecting the natural color of the wool it was often made from.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Blanket
A security blanket: Something that provides a feeling of comfort and safety, especially in times of stress.
Wet blanket: A person who discourages enjoyment or enthusiasm.
Blanket coverage: Comprehensive or widespread reporting or attention given to an event or topic.
Blanket statement/rule/ban: A general statement, rule, or ban that applies to everyone or everything in a group without exception.
Throw a wet blanket on (something): To spoil or dampen the enthusiasm for something.
Under the blanket: Secretly or privately.
Like a warm blanket: Providing great comfort or reassurance.
A blanket of snow/fog/darkness: A thick, continuous covering of something.
Pull the blanket over one's head: To ignore a problem or avoid dealing with something unpleasant.
Wrap someone in a blanket of love: To give someone a great deal of affection and care.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of blanket from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
