bunnyjadwiga

1. a. A bed covering consisting of two joined pieces of fabric enclosing a layer of soft material (such as wool, cotton, or down) which acts as padding or insulation. Originally: {dag}one used for lying on or as a mattress (obs.). In later use: such an article used as an outer bedcover, esp. one in which the inner layer is kept in place by (decorative) stitching; a duvet; = continental quilt at CONTINENTAL adj. 2; (also) a counterpane. Also applied occas. to coverings other than for beds, as toilet-quilt n. at TOILET n. Compounds 1a. See also patchwork quilt at PATCHWORK adj. 1.
The modern quilt or duvet is often used as a replacement for the traditional oversheet and blankets (the insulation rating is measured in togs (see TOG n.1 3)).
Earliest recorded in a compound (as a surname).
1276 Close Rolls Edward I 353 Joan la Quiltemaker. c1300 Body & Soul (Laud Misc. 108) (1889) 27 {Ygh}were beon..{th}ine cowltes [v.rr. quiltes, quyltus] and {th}i covertoures? 1397 Cal. Inquisitions (1963) VI. 74 Quiltes [and] matrasse [worth 26 s. 8 d.]. a1425 (?c1350) Ywain & Gawain 751 Sho..did him sit opon hir bed; A quylt ful nobil lay {th}areon. 1477 Will in J. T. Fowler Acts Church SS. Peter & Wilfrid, Ripon (1875) 179 Unum twylt. 1489 CAXTON tr. C. de Pisan Bk. Fayttes of Armes II. xxxvi. 154 Coyltes or matrases or sacques. a1500 (?c1450) Merlin (1899) 539 Thei lay down to slepe vpon the grasse, for other quyltes [Fr. couches] ne pilowes hadde thei noon. 1560 T. PHAER tr. J. Goeurot Regiment Lyfe (new ed.) sig. Aviiiv, A coife, made of double linnen clothe, and sowed like a cotten quilt. 1574 in F. G. Emmison Essex Wills (1986) (modernized text) III. 311 My trundle bed in the chamber above, with a twylt which is wont to lie on my bed. 1616 B. JONSON Epic{oe}ne II. i. 539 And, you have fastened on a thicke quilt, or flockbed, on the out-side of the dore. a1627 T. MIDDLETON Women beware Women III. i, in 2 New Playes (1657) 135 Never a green silk quilt is there..To cast upon my Bed?