I. blan ‧ ket 1 /ˈblæŋkət, ˈblæŋkɪt/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: blanket 'white cloth' (13-15 centuries) , from Old French blankete , from blanc ; ⇨ ↑ blanch ]
1 . [countable] a cover for a bed, usually made of wool ⇨ duvet
2 . [singular] a thick covering or area of something
blanket of
The hills were covered with a blanket of snow.
blanket of fog/cloud
3 . [singular] something that makes it hard for you to find information or the truth about something SYN cloak
blanket of
The trial was held under a blanket of secrecy.
⇨ electric blanket at ↑ electric (1), ⇨ ↑ wet blanket , ↑ security blanket
II. blanket 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive usually passive]
to cover something with a thick layer
be blanketed in/with something
The rooftops were blanketed in snow.
III. blanket 3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
blanket statement/rule/ban etc a statement, rule etc that affects everyone or includes all possible cases:
the proposed blanket ban on tobacco advertising
a blanket strategy