rug

rug — noun

1. a thick fabric covering that you put on a floor to protect it, add warmth, or de

1.nounB1
Definition

a thick fabric covering that you put on a floor to protect it, add warmth, or decorate the room — rugs are smaller than carpets and can be moved

Example

The wooden floor looked much warmer after Maja put a wool rug beside her bed.

collocation: wool rug; rug + beside [location]

A rug near the door catches dirt from shoes before it reaches the living room.

Common collocations
  • wool rug
  • handwoven rug
  • Persian rug
  • Oriental rug
  • bathroom rug
  • kitchen rug
  • area rug
  • floor rug
  • lay a rug
  • roll up a rug
  • vacuum a rug
Synonyms
  • mat

    a smaller, thinner floor covering, often at a doorway

  • runner

    a long, narrow rug for a hallway or staircase

  • carpet

    covers the entire floor of a room and is usually fixed in place

Usage Note

The difference between a rug and a carpet is mainly size and permanence — a rug is smaller and can be moved, while a carpet is fixed to the floor and covers the whole room.

Common Mistakes

I bought a beautiful rug to cover the whole bedroom floor.
I bought a beautiful carpet to cover the whole bedroom floor.
A rug covers only part of a floor, not the whole room.

2. a thick cloth cover that you put over your legs or body to stay warm, especially

2.nounB1
Definition

a thick cloth cover that you put over your legs or body to stay warm, especially when sitting or resting

Example

Grandmother wrapped a knitted rug around her knees while she sat on the porch.

wrapped + rug + around [body part] for warmth

Defne took a warm rug to the game to keep her legs from getting cold.

collocation: warm rug

Common collocations
  • knitted rug
  • fleece rug
  • travel rug
  • picnic rug
  • warm rug
  • wrap a rug around
  • pull a rug over
Synonyms
  • blanket

    a general term for a large bed cover; more common than 'rug' for warmth

  • throw

    a small decorative blanket used on sofas or chairs

  • lap robe

    a blanket for covering the legs while sitting, especially in a vehicle — mainly American English

Usage Note

This sense is more common in British English, where a 'travel rug' or 'picnic rug' is a portable blanket. In American English, 'blanket' or 'throw' is more frequent.

3. a false piece of hair that a man wears on his head to cover a bald area — an inf

3.nounC1
Definition

a false piece of hair that a man wears on his head to cover a bald area — an informal and sometimes joking word

Example

Nobody mentioned that the TV presenter's rug looked a bit strange under the studio lights.

informal slang for toupée; often in humorous or critical contexts

Felipe joked that his uncle's rug was so old it looked like a dead animal.

Common collocations
  • wear a rug
  • knock off a rug
  • fake-looking rug
  • obvious rug
Synonyms
  • toupée

    the standard, neutral word for a small wig worn by a man

  • wig

    a general term for any artificial hair covering; can be full or partial

  • hairpiece

    a neutral term for a partial wig used to cover bald spots

Usage Note

This sense is informal and can be rude or disrespectful if used directly about someone. It is common in comedy, jokes, or unkind gossip, but should be avoided in polite conversation.

Common Mistakes

He lost his rug in the war.
He lost his hair in the war.
'Rug' in this slang sense is too informal and potentially offensive for serious topics.
Idioms

pull the rug out from under someone

idiom

to suddenly take away help, support, or an advantage from someone, leaving them in a difficult or weak position

When the bank refused the loan, it pulled the rug out from under the family's house renovation plans.

The sudden cancellation of the bus service pulled the rug out from under the village's elderly residents.

sweep something under the rug

idiom

to hide a problem, mistake, or unpleasant fact instead of dealing with it openly

The company tried to sweep safety violations under the rug, but a worker reported them to the authorities.

Instead of sweeping their disagreement under the rug, the couple discussed the problem openly.

pull the rug (out) from under somebody’s feet

idiom

To suddenly remove support or help from someone, causing them problems.

The investor pulled the rug from under our startup's feet.

Did Maya's resignation pull the rug out from under the project?

Word family

  • rugged
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Rug, carpet, mat, and runner all refer to floor coverings, but they differ in size, placement, and use. A rug is a thick fabric covering for part of a floor — it can be moved and is often decorative. A carpet is larger and usually fixed to the floor, covering an entire room. A mat is thinner and smaller than a rug, often placed at a door to wipe shoes on (doormat) or under a dish (placemat). A runner is a long, narrow rug designed for hallways or stairs. For example, you might lay a Persian rug beside your bed, install wall-to-wall carpet in the living room, wipe your feet on a coir mat at the front door, and put a striped runner along the upstairs corridor.

rug ↗carpet ↗mat ↗runner ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • wool rug
  • silk rug
  • cotton rug
  • fleece rug
  • handwoven rug

Phrases

  • lay a rug
  • roll up a rug
  • vacuum a rug
  • put down a rug
  • spill something on a rug

Prepositions

  • on a rug
  • under a rug
  • beside a rug
  • in front of a rug

Etymology

Old NorseScandinavian languagesEnglish

The word 'rug' comes from Old Norse 'rogg', meaning a tuft of wool or fur. It entered English through Scandinavian languages (Swedish 'rugg', Danish 'ru') during the Viking period, and originally referred to a coarse woollen blanket or wrap. By the 16th century, it was being used for thick fabric floor coverings. The slang sense for a toupée appeared in the 1940s, comparing a hairpiece to a small rug on the head.