Brewer's: Blanket

The wrong side of the blanket. A love-child is said to come of the wrong side of the blanket.

“He grew up to be a fine waule fallow, like mony ane that comes o' the wrang side o' the blanket.” —SirW.Scott: The Antíquary, chap. xxiv.

A wet blanket.
A discouragement, a marplot. A person is a wet blanket who discourages a proposed scheme.

“Treated with a wet blanket,” discouraged. “A wet blanket influence,” etc. A wet blanket is used to smother fire, or to prevent one escaping from a fire from being burnt.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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