a layer of lead surrounding the highly reactive core of a nuclear reactor
"The engineers installed a thick blanket of lead around the reactor's core to absorb stray neutrons and protect the outer shielding."
A heavy, loosely woven fabric, usually large and woollen, used for warmth while sleeping or resting.
"She pulled the thick woollen blanket over her shoulders to stay warm during the cold night."
In plain English: A blanket is a piece of cloth you put over yourself to stay warm while sleeping or sitting on a couch.
"She pulled her wool blanket up to cover herself against the cold night air."
Usage: Use the noun form to refer specifically to a bed covering made of heavy fabric, distinct from other types of throws or sheets. As an adjective, apply "blanket" only when describing something that covers everything uniformly without exception.
form a blanket-like cover (over)
"The frost formed a blanket-like cover over the sleeping garden."
To cover with, or as if with, a blanket.
"The warm morning sun began to blanket the snow-covered hills in golden light."
In plain English: To blanket something means to cover it completely so nothing underneath can be seen.
"The heavy snowfall completely blanketed the town in white, silencing all movement on the streets."
broad in scope or content
"across-the-board pay increases"
"an all-embracing definition"
"blanket sanctions against human-rights violators"
"an invention with broad applications"
"a panoptic study of Soviet nationality"
"granted him wide powers"
General; covering or encompassing everything.
"The new policy applies to every employee, regardless of their department, without exception."
In plain English: When something is blanket, it covers everything completely without leaving anything out.
"The company offered blanket protection to all its employees during the strike."
The word blanket comes from Middle English and Old Northern French, where it originally meant a "white horse" or white woollen cloth. It is derived from the root for "white," which shares an ancient Germanic origin with the modern word blank.