† ˈblunket, a. and n. Obs.
Forms: 5–7 blanket, 6 bluncket, blancket, bloncket, bloncat, 7 blonket, 5–8 blunket.
[It is uncertain whether the adj. sense gave its name to the fabric, or whether the name of the fabric was transferred to its colour. The original form of the word is also doubtful, though blunket is both the earliest and by far the most frequent. This makes it doubtful whether it can have been an adoption of OF. blanquet, var. of blanchet, dim. of blanc white (and thus originally the same as blanket), a derivation which would to some extent suit the sense.]
A. adj. Grey, greyish blue, light blue.
| 1488 Lord High. Treas. Accts. (Jam.) For x elne and j quarter of blanket caresay to be hos. c 1534 Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (1846) I. 74 Thei weare called Pictes..ether of their bluncket heres, ether of certaine marckes made with whot irons. a 1552 Leland Brit. Coll. III. 138 Cæsius, gray of colour, or blunket. 1552 Huloet, Blancket coloure, cæsius. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. May 5 Our bloncket liueryes [gloss. gray coates] bene all to sadde. 1611 Cotgr., Couleur perse, skie colour, Azure colour, a Blunket, or light blue. 1622 Peacham Compl. Gentl. (1661) 155 Blanket colour, i.e. a light watchet. 1657 W. Coles Adam in Eden cxxxv, Gilloflowers of such variable colours..Horseflesh, blunket, purple, and white. 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict., Cæsius, gray, sky-coloured, with specks of gray blunket. |
B. n. A fabric presumably of light grey or blue colour; possibly the same as blanket n. 1.
| c 1420 Anturs Arth. xxix, Here belle [= cloak] was of blunket. c 1440 Gaw. & Galar. ii. 3 (Jam.) Here belte was of blunket. 1541 Aberd. Reg. (Jam.) Three elln of bloncat. 1600 Queen's Wardrobe in Nichols Progr. Q. Eliz. III. 506 One rounde kirtle of white clothe of silver chevernd, with bluncket, with lace of golde. |