wet blanket

¹

noun

1. a blanket dampened with water so as to extinguish a fire.
2. a person or thing that dampens enthusiasm or enjoyment:

   Nobody asked him to join the group because he's such a wet blanket.

wet-blanket

²

[ wet-blang-kit ]

verb (used with object)

1. to extinguish (a fire) with a wet blanket.
2. to dampen the enthusiasm or enjoyment of (a person, group, etc.).

wet blanket

noun

1. informal.
   a person whose low spirits or lack of enthusiasm have a depressing effect on others

wet blanket

1. Someone who dampens enthusiasm: “We were all having a good time until Harold walked in and started acting like a wet blanket.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of wet blanket¹

First recorded in 1655–65

Origin of wet blanket²

First recorded in 1865–70

Idioms and Phrases

A person who discourages enjoyment or enthusiasm, as in Don't be such a wet blanket—the carnival will be fun! This expression alludes to smothering a fire with a wet blanket. [Early 1800s]

Example Sentences

I lay out my worries here not as a wet blanket, but because I am a worrier.

From Vox

Have you noticed there are some people who would love to put a big wet blanket on all of this?

From The Daily Beast

If anything, the idea of Kristen Stewart, expert wet blanket, only got even damper.

From The Daily Beast

She was an iceberg,—a beautiful kill-joy,—a wet blanket of charming texture.

From Project Gutenberg

But that was perhaps unnecessary; and we shall not throw a “wet blanket” upon the matter by further alluding to it.

From Project Gutenberg

A wet blanket of so terrible a size was in itself pernicious to the Cabinet, and heartrending to the poor Duke.

From Project Gutenberg

So I gave him one end of a wet blanket which I was carrying, and I grabbed hold of the other end.

From Project Gutenberg

How much potential goodness and greatness would become actual but for the wet blanket of sullen silence!

From Project Gutenberg