Meaning
- A person who spoils other people's fun.
- A person who always seems to sap the joy from another person or group.
- Someone who seems to be no fun at all is often referred to as a "wet blanket."
- A wet blanket often sucks the fun right out of a room or situation.
Example Sentences
- If you are going to come to my party, you can't be such a wet blanket.
- James has been a wet blanket for the last several weeks, ever since his girlfriend broke up with him.
- Nobody invites Sally to parties because she is such a wet blanket all the time.
- She was indisposed, so she decided to skip the party, not wanting to be a wet blanket on such a happy occasion.
Origin
If you have ever been called a wet blanket, it is time that you learned where this idiom comes from. The answer may just surprise you.
Going all the way back to the 1870s, cooks kept wet blankets on the floor of the kitchen to have them ready in case of a grease fire. Such fires were actually quite common during this time, so having a wet blanket on hand would allow them to quickly smother the flames and get on with the rest of the meal. Since flames can be rather exciting, the idiom "wet blanket" was established to talk about a person who seemed to always quickly take the enjoyment out of a situation.
Many people argue that wet blankets and the corresponding idiom can be traced even further back to the 1600s.
