quilt

American  

[kwilt] / kwɪlt /

noun

1. a coverlet for a bed, made of two layers of fabric with some soft substance, as wool or down, between them and stitched in patterns or tufted through all thicknesses in order to prevent the filling from shifting.

2. anything quilted or resembling a quilt.

3. a bedspread or counterpane, especially a thick one.

4. Obsolete. a mattress.

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verb (used with object)

1. to stitch together (two pieces of cloth and a soft interlining), usually in an ornamental pattern.

2. to sew up between pieces of material.

3. to pad or line with material.

verb (used without object)

1. to make quilts or quilted work.

quilt British  

/ kwɪlt /

noun

1. a thick warm cover for a bed, consisting of a soft filling sewn between two layers of material, usually with crisscross seams

2. a bedspread or counterpane

3. anything quilted or resembling a quilt

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verb

1. to stitch together (two pieces of fabric) with (a thick padding or lining) between them

   to quilt cotton and wool

2. to create (a garment, covering, etc) in this way

3. to pad with material

4. informal to strike; clout

Other Word Forms

• quilter noun

Etymology

Origin of quilt

1250–1300; Middle English quilte < Old French cuilte < Latin culcita mattress, cushion

Example Sentences

He could curl up beneath his quilt with a book from Deadwood Dump.

From Literature

Husband said fans often looked like a "patchwork quilt" with different colours of shirts in the stands but were brought together by the national dress.

From BBC

“Yes,” I said, and went for the quilt.

From Literature

“I wanted to offer this quilt to you before we put it in the store.”

From Literature

While shaking out the quilt, a little piece of cardstock falls out.

From Literature

Related Words

• bedspread
• blanket
• comforter