/ ˈkɑːpɪt; NAmE ˈkɑːrpɪt/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U ] a thick woven material made of wool, etc. for covering floors or stairs :
a roll of carpet
2.
[ C ] a piece of carpet used as a floor covering, especially when shaped to fit a room :
to lay a carpet
a bedroom carpet
( BrE )
We have fitted carpets (= carpets from wall to wall) in our house.
—see also carpeting , red carpet , rug
3.
[ C ] carpet (of sth) ( literary ) a thick layer of sth on the ground :
a carpet of snow
•
IDIOMS
- (be / get called) on the carpet
—more at sweep verb
■ verb [ vn ] [ usually passive ]
1.
to cover the floor of a room with a carpet :
The hall was carpeted in blue.
2.
carpet sth (with / in sth) ( literary ) to cover sth with a thick layer of sth :
The forest floor was carpeted with wild flowers.
3.
( informal , especially BrE ) to speak angrily to sb because they have done sth wrong
SYN reprimand
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (denoting a thick fabric used as a cover for a table or bed): from Old French carpite or medieval Latin carpita , from obsolete Italian carpita woollen counterpane, based on Latin carpere pluck, pull to pieces.