Did you
know?

a wet blanket
informal noun phrase

- a person whose low spirits or lack of enthusiasm have a depressing effect on others

(Collins Dictionary)

- A person or thing that spoils the fun.

(The Dictionary of Clichés)

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ORIGIN

Wet blanket “person who has a dispiriting effect” is recorded from 1879, from use of blankets drenched in water to smother fires (the phrase is attested in this literal sense from 1662).

All wet “in the wrong” is recorded from 1923; earlier wet meant “ineffectual” maybe from the slang meaning “drunken” from around 1700.

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SOME OTHER “WETS”

- Wet nurse (Amme, Säugamme) from 1620
- Wet dream (feuchter Traum) from 1851
- Wetback (illegal Mexican immigrant to the US, from the notion of wading the Rio Grande) from 1924

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SYNOMYMS

- person
drag, drip, grouch, flat tire, grind, killjoy, malcontent, pain, pest, party pooper, poor sport, spoilsport, sourpuss, spreader of gloom, stuffed shirt, wimp, deadhead, deadwood

- information (or news)
bad news, bother, bummer, cold water, damper, downer, drag, drip, dullsville

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

"Hey Jim, don't be a WET BLANKET, the possible gains from this fun campaign far outweight potential losses."

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