Blan"ket (&?;), n. [F. blanchet, OF. also blanket, a woolen waistcoat or shirt, the blanket of a printing press; prop. white woolen stuff, dim. of blanc white; blanquette a kind of white pear, fr. blanc white. See Blank, a.] 1. A heavy, loosely woven fabric, usually of wool, and having a nap, used in bed clothing; also, a similar fabric used as a robe; or any fabric used as a cover for a horse.

2. (Print.) A piece of rubber, felt, or woolen cloth, used in the tympan to make it soft and elastic.

3. A streak or layer of blubber in whales.

&fist; The use of blankets formerly as curtains in theaters explains the following figure of Shakespeare. Nares.

Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark
To cry, "Hold, hold!"
Shak.

Blan"ket, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blanketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Blanketing.] 1. To cover with a blanket.

I'll . . . blanket my loins.
Shak.

2. To toss in a blanket by way of punishment.

We'll have our men blanket 'em i' the hall.
B. Jonson.

3. To take the wind out of the sails of (another vessel) by sailing to windward of her.

• A cloth, usually large, used for warmth or sleeping.
       The baby was cold, so his mother put a blanket over him.
  
• A layer of anything.
       The city woke under a thick blanket of fog.
  
• A thick rubber mat used in the offset printing process to transfer ink from the plate to the paper being printed.
       A press operator must carefully wash the blanket whenever changing a plate.
  
• In general; covering or encompassing everything.
       They sought to create a blanket solution for all situations.
  
• To cover.
       A fresh layer of snow blanketed the area.
  
• To traverse or complete thoroughly.
       The salesman blanketed the entire neighborhood.