carpet (redirected from sweeping under the carpet)

*red-carpet treatment

Fig. very special treatment; royal treatment. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) I love to go to fancy stores where I get the red-carpet treatment. The queen expects to get the red-carpet treatment wherever she goes.

call someone on the carpet and haul someone on the carpet

Fig. to reprimand a person. (When done by someone of clear superiority. Haul is stronger than call.) One more error like that and the big boss will call you on the carpet. I'm sorry it went wrong. I really hope the regional manager doesn't call me on the carpet again.

See also: call

roll out the red carpet (for someone)

1. Lit. to unwind a roll of red carpet for someone important to walk on. The city council decided to roll out the red carpet for the visit of the foreign prince.

2. Fig. to give someone treatment befitting royalty. The citizens of the small community enjoyed rolling out the red carpet for important visitors.

See also: out, red, roll

sweep something under the carpet 

1. Lit. to hide dirt by brushing it away under the edge of a carpet. He was in such a hurry with the cleaning that he just swept the dirt under the carpet. She swept the dirt under the carpet, hoping no one would find it.

2. Fig. to hide or ignore something. You made a mistake that you can't sweep under the carpet. Don't try to sweep it under the carpet. You are wrong!

See also: sweep

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on the carpet  (American)

to be in trouble with someone in authority He's going to be on the carpet for his rudeness.

See sweep under the carpet

roll out the red carpet

to give an important person a special welcome The red carpet was rolled out for the President's visit.

See also: out, red, roll

sweep something under the carpet  (British, American & Australian) also sweep something under the mat/rug (American & Australian)

to try to hide a problem or keep a problem secret instead of dealing with it The incident has forced into the open an issue that the government would rather have swept under the carpet. The evidence was on film and the police couldn't just sweep it under the rug.

See also: sweep

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roll out the red carpet (for somebody)

to give a special welcome to someone important This city has rolled out the red carpet for women's fashion buyers and the media.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of red carpet ( a thick red covering for a floor or other surface that is put down for important guests to walk on)

See also: out, red, roll

sweep something under the carpet

to hide something embarrassing sweep something under the rug The problem is usually ignored or swept under the carpet.

See also: sweep