come on the carpet—be under consideration or discussion:
- Hopefully tomorrow at the meeting that will probably come on the carpet.
Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase be on the carpet—
1. (Pilots) used of an aircraft at or near ground level:
- I was right on the carpet and over a little ruined village.
2. = come on the carpet:
- Only when a serious question was on the carpet, did they drop their formalism.
3. be summoned to receive a reprimand from smb. in authority:
- Desert is on the carpet—not for apostasy, but for the song he’s made about it.
step off the carpet—(rare) get married:
- Papa won Ves’ hand and they will step off the carpet next spring.