a rug

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A piece of thick material used as a floor covering, smaller than a carpet.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a rug' or 'rugs'. Often used with 'on': 'on the rug'.

   Patterns

   • a rug on the floor
   • put a rug down
   • a Persian rug

   She put a small rug beside the bed.

   The cat is sleeping on the rug in front of the fire.

   We bought a new rug for the living room.

2. 2nouncountableBritish

   A thick, warm blanket used as a cover, especially in British English.

   Grammar: Countable: 'a rug' or 'rugs'. Often used with 'with': 'with a rug over your knees'.

   Patterns

   • a travel rug
   • put a rug over someone

   She sat with a rug over her knees.

   He spread a rug on the grass for the picnic.

   The old man had a rug tucked around his legs.

Word forms

Common combinations

a Persian rug

They have a beautiful Persian rug in the hallway.

on the rug

The children were playing on the rug.

a travel rug

Don't forget to pack a travel rug for the journey.

pull the rug from under someone

The company pulled the rug from under the workers by cancelling the bonus.

Synonyms and how they differ

carpet

A carpet is usually larger and fixed to the floor, while a rug is smaller and movable.

mat

A mat is often smaller and used for a specific purpose, like a doormat; a rug is more decorative or comfortable.

blanket

A blanket is a bed covering; in British English a rug can also mean a thick blanket.

Commonly confused: a rug or rag?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a rug”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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