I. car ‧ pet 1 S2 W3 /ˈkɑːpət, ˈkɑːpɪt $ ˈkɑːr-/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: carpite , from Old Italian carpita , from carpire 'to pull out' ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] heavy woven material for covering floors or stairs, or a piece of this material ⇨ carpeting , rug :
My bedroom carpet is green.
All the rooms had fitted carpets (=carpets cut to fit the shape of the rooms) .
2 . a carpet of something literary a thick layer of something on the ground:
a carpet of flowers
3 . be/get called on the carpet American English informal to be criticized by someone in authority because you have done something wrong:
He was called on the carpet by his boss to explain his excessive spending.
⇨ ↑ magic carpet , ⇨ sweep/brush something under the carpet at ↑ sweep 1 (15)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + carpet
▪ a bedroom/living-room etc carpet
The bedroom carpet was cream.
▪ a stair carpet
We need a new stair carpet.
▪ a fitted carpet (=cut to fit a room, and fixed to the floor)
Do you prefer rugs or a fitted carpet?
▪ a wall-to-wall carpet (=a fitted carpet)
Every room in the house had thick wall-to-wall carpets.
▪ a plush carpet (=thick and soft)
I love hotels with plush carpets.
▪ thick
The thick carpet felt warm under her feet.
▪ threadbare/worn (=very thin and in bad condition)
It was a dingy room with a threadbare carpet.
■ verbs
▪ fit/lay a carpet (=cut it to fit a room and fix it to the floor)
Will it cost extra to have the carpet fitted?
II. carpet 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . [usually passive] to cover a floor with carpet:
The building has been carpeted throughout.
2 . [usually passive] especially British English informal to talk in an angry way to someone because they have done something wrong
carpet somebody for something
Top officers were carpeted for bullying younger officers.
3 . literary if leaves, flowers etc carpet the ground, they cover it in a thick layer
be carpeted with something
The whole garden was carpeted with daffodils.