wet-blanket

English

Verb

wet-blanket (third-person singular simple present wet-blankets, present participle wet-blanketing, simple past and past participle wet-blanketed)

1. (transitive) To disparage, belittle, or remove the satisfaction and joy from; to act as a wet blanket towards.
   • 1869, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women:

     A few other topics of general interest were introduced by Mr. Brooke and wet-blanketed by Mrs. Brooke, and conversation languished.

   • 1893, William Lyon Phelps, The Beginnings of the English Romantic Movement:

     Possibly the world had not encouraged him so much as he hoped ; his tone is that of- a man whose enthusiasm had been wet-blanketed by adverse criticism.

   • 1935, Ernst Lothar, Willa Muir, The Loom of Justice, page 95:

     But if a single syllable had been breathed to Papa he would have wet-blanketed the whole adventure: he was much too strict.

   • 1997, Wilfred P. Deac, Road to the Killing Fields: The Cambodian War of 1970-1975, →ISBN:

     A second significant enemy commando raid further wet-blanketed satisfaction over the reopening of Highway 4.