| Carpet | n. [ OF. carpite rug, soft of cloth, F. carpette coarse packing cloth, rug (cf. It. carpita rug, blanket), LL. carpeta, carpita, woolly cloths, fr. L. carpere to pluck, to card (wool); cf. Gr. karpo`s fruit, E. Harvest. ] 1. A heavy woven or felted fabric, usually of wool, but also of cotton, hemp, straw, etc.; esp. a floor covering made in breadths to be sewed together and nailed to the floor, as distinguished from a rug or mat; originally, also, a wrought cover for tables. [ 1913 Webster ] Tables and beds covered with copes instead of carpets and coverlets. T. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. A smooth soft covering resembling or suggesting a carpet. “The grassy carpet of this plain.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Carpet beetle or
Carpet bug (Zool.), a small beetle (Anthrenus scrophulariæ), which, in the larval state, does great damage to carpets and other woolen goods; -- also called buffalo bug. --
Carpet knight. (a) A knight who enjoys ease and security, or luxury, and has not known the hardships of the field; a hero of the drawing room; an effeminate person. Shak. (b) One made a knight, for some other than military distinction or service. --
Carpet moth (Zool.), the larva of an insect which feeds on carpets and other woolen goods. There are several kinds. Some are the larvæ of species of Tinea (as Tinea tapetzella); others of beetles, esp. Anthrenus. --
Carpet snake (Zool.), an Australian snake. See Diamond snake, under Diamond. --
Carpet sweeper, an apparatus or device for sweeping carpets. --
To be on the carpet, to be under consideration; to be the subject of deliberation; to be in sight; -- an expression derived from the use of carpets as table cover. --
Brussels carpet. See under Brussels. [ 1913 Webster ]
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