A rug is a piece of thick, woven fabric that covers part of a floor. Unlike wall-to-wall carpeting that's permanently installed, a rug is movable. You might put a colorful rug beside your bed so your feet land on something soft and warm when you wake up, or your family might have a large rug in the living room that defines the seating area and makes the space feel cozier.

Rugs come in countless sizes, patterns, and materials. Some are simple and practical, while others are intricate works of art that took months to create. Persian rugs, for example, are famous for their detailed designs and can be extremely valuable. A doormat is a small, rough rug placed at an entrance to catch dirt from shoes.

When someone says they're going to “pull the rug out from under you,” they mean they're going to suddenly remove support you were depending on, leaving you unprepared and off-balance. If something gets swept under the rug, it means someone is hiding a problem instead of dealing with it honestly.