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Plaid vs Blanket - What's the difference?

plaid | blanket |

As nouns the difference between plaid and blanket

is that plaid is a type of twilled woollen cloth, often with a tartan or chequered pattern while blanket is a heavy, loosely woven fabric, usually large and woollen, used for warmth while sleeping or resting.

As adjectives the difference between plaid and blanket

is that plaid is having a pattern or colors which resemble a Scottish tartan; checkered or marked with bars or stripes at right angles to one another while blanket is in general; covering or encompassing everything.

As verbs the difference between plaid and blanket

is that plaid is past tense of play while blanket is to cover with, or as if with, a blanket.

plaid

English

(wikipedia plaid)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) plaid, of uncertain origin; perhaps from a past participle form of (ply). Scottish Gaelic is probably a borrowing from Scots.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A type of twilled woollen cloth, often with a tartan or chequered pattern.
  • *
  • *:It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. He wore shepherd's plaid trousers and the swallow-tail coat of the day, with a figured muslin cravat wound about his wide-spread collar.
  • A length of such material used as a piece of clothing, formerly worn in the Scottish Highlands and other parts of northern Britain and remaining as an item of ceremonial dress worn by members of Scottish pipe bands.
  • *2009 , , Glencoe , Amberley 2009, p.47:
  • *:In battle, the plaid was customarily shrugged off before the charge bit home, and the warrior came into contact with only his long, saffron shirt (‘leine chrochach ’) to preserve modesty.
  • The typical chequered pattern of a plaid; tartan.

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having a pattern or colors which resemble a Scottish tartan; checkered or marked with bars or stripes at right angles to one another.

    • Etymology 2

    Alternative forms.

    Verb

    (head)
  • (archaic) (play)
  • * 1774, Dr Samuel Johnson, Preface to the Works of the English Poets , J. Nichols, Volume II, Page 134,
    • "...then plaid on the organ, and sung..."
    ----

    blanket

    English

    (wikipedia blanket)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A heavy, loosely woven fabric, usually large and woollen, used for warmth while sleeping or resting.
    • The baby was cold, so his mother put a blanket over him.
  • * 1922 , (Virginia Woolf), (w, Jacob's Room) Chapter 1
    • The little boys in the front bedroom had thrown off their blankets and lay under the sheets.
  • 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.
  • A streak or layer of blubber in whales.

    • Derived terms

    * blankie, blanky * security blanket * smallpox blanket * wet blanket

    Adjective

    (-)
  • In general; covering or encompassing everything.
    • They sought to create a blanket solution for all situations.
    a blanket ban

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cover with, or as if with, a blanket.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I'll blanket my loins.
    A fresh layer of snow blanketed the area.
  • * 1884 : (Mark Twain), (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Chapter VIII
    • I see the moon go off watch, and the darkness begin to blanket the river.
  • To traverse or complete thoroughly.
    • The salesman blanketed the entire neighborhood.
  • To toss in a blanket by way of punishment.
  • * Ben Jonson
    • We'll have our men blanket 'em i' the hall.
  • To take the wind out of the sails of (another vessel) by sailing to windward of her.