rug

A rug is usually a piece of thick cloth or woven material that lies on the floor. It adds warmth, comfort, and style to a room, and unlike a fitted carpet, it can usually be moved. You might see one in a living room, by a bed, or near a doorway. In casual English, a rug can also mean a hairpiece or wig. The word also appears in idioms, such as "pull the rug out from under someone," which means to suddenly take away help or support.

A rug is most often a movable floor covering made from woven or tufted material. People use it to make a room feel warmer, softer, quieter, or more attractive. It may be small enough to sit by a door or bed, or large enough to cover most of a room. Unlike wall-to-wall carpet, it is usually not fixed in place.

These floor coverings come in many materials, such as wool, cotton, silk, or synthetic fibers, and in many styles, from plain and practical to highly detailed and decorative. In some homes they are used mainly for comfort, while in others they can be important design pieces or even valuable handmade items. Many cultures are known for distinctive traditions in making them, including Persian, Turkish, and other regional styles.

The word also has a less common informal meaning: a man's wig or hairpiece. Someone might jokingly say that a person is "wearing a rug" if the hair does not look natural.

Beyond the physical object, the word appears in common idioms. To "sweep something under the rug" means to hide a problem instead of dealing with it. To "pull the rug out from under someone" means to suddenly remove support, safety, or an advantage. So the word can refer to an everyday object in the home, a casual name for a hairpiece, or part of an expression about trouble and surprise.