wet blanket

English

Etymology

Suggesting that such a person would extinguish fun like how a wet blanket can smother and extinguish a fire. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

wet blanket (plural wet blankets)

1. (idiomatic, usually endearing, derogatory) A person who takes the fun out of a situation or activity, as by pessimism, demands, dullness, etc.

   Synonyms: buzzkill, killjoy, spoilsport; see also Thesaurus:spoilsport

2. (idiomatic, mildly derogatory) A timid person; one who lacks confidence; a wimp.
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see wet,‎ blanket.

Derived terms

• throw a wet blanket on

Translations

someone who takes the fun out of a situation or activity

• Catalan: aixafaguitarres (ca) m or f, esgarriacries (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: suchar (cs) m
• Danish: lyseslukker c
• Dutch: spelbreker (nl), spelbreekster (nl)
• Finnish: ilonpilaaja (fi)
• French: rabat-joie (fr) m or f, pisse-froid (fr) m or f
• German: Spielverderber (de) m, Spaßbremse (de) f, Miesmacher (de) m, Miesmacherin (de) f
• Italian: guastafeste (it) m or f
• Polish: malkontent (pl) m, malkontentka, maruda (pl) m, smutas m, smutaska f, drewniak (pl) m
• Portuguese: desmancha-prazeres m or f, estraga-prazeres (pt)
• Russian: зануда (ru) m or f (zanuda)
• Spanish: aguafiestas (es) f or m, sosaina m or f
• Swedish: glädjedödare (sv) c, dystergök c
• Yiddish: זויערע אוגערקע f (zoyere ugerke)

Verb

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

1. Alternative form of wet-blanket
   • 2014, Helen Oyeyemi, Boy, Snow, Bird, →ISBN:

     I say almost because I could still hear Ted trying his best to wet blanket Webster's Halloween costume idea.

   • 1926, United States. Forest Service, Forest Research Bi-Monthly Report, page 33:

     The secretary of the state retail association recently seen wet blanketed the whole thing, doubting the possibility of representative figures, or of getting the dealers to tell the truth, at least when business was poor and they begin to cut the prices of their competitors.

   • 1911, American Motherhood - Volumes 32-33, page 311:

     Nevertheless there is a certain handicap to the child who has been snubbed, mocked, jeered, wet blanketed and undervalued.