n. & v.
n. 1 a thick fabric for covering a floor or stairs. b a piece of this fabric. 2 an expanse or layer resembling a carpet in being smooth, soft, bright, or thick (carpet of snow).
v.tr. (carpeted, carpeting) 1 cover with or as with a carpet. 2 colloq. reprimand, reprove. carpet-bag a travelling-bag of a kind orig. made of carpet-like material. carpet-bagger 1 esp. US a political candidate in an area where the candidate has no local connections (orig. a northerner in the southern US after the Civil War). 2 an unscrupulous opportunist. carpet bombing intensive bombing. carpet slipper a kind of slipper with the upper made orig. of carpet-like material. carpet-sweeper a household implement with a revolving brush or brushes for sweeping carpets. on the carpet 1 colloq. being reprimanded. 2 under consideration. sweep under the carpet conceal (a problem or difficulty) in the hope that it will be forgotten.
[ ME f. OF carpite or med.L carpita, f. obs. It. carpita woollen counterpane, ult. f. L carpere pluck, pull to pieces ]