carpet

carpet

I

car‧pet¹ S2 W3 /ˈkɑːpət, ˈkɑːpɪt $ ˈkɑːr-/ noun1. [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 sweep¹(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

carpet² 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.