call on the carpet

English

Verb

call on the carpet (third-person singular simple present calls on the carpet, present participle calling on the carpet, simple past and past participle called on the carpet)

1. (chiefly US) To reprimand; to censure severely or angrily.
   • 1984 August 4, Sue Hyde, “Too Little, Too Late”, in Gay Community News, page 2:

     Randal calls onto the carpet Heath and Human Services Secretary Margaret Heckler for her department's negligence in responding to the AIDS crisis.

Synonyms

(Synonyms for "call on the carpet"):

• bawl out
• berate
• call down
• carpet (British)
• chew out
• chew up
• chide
• dress down
• have words
• jaw
• lambaste
• lecture
• rag
• rebuke
• remonstrate
• reprimand
• reproof
• scold
• tell off
• trounce

Related terms

• on the carpet

Translations

reprimand

• Dutch: op het matje roepen (nl)
• Estonian: vaibale kutsuma
• French: réprimander (fr)
• Polish: brać na dywanik impf
• Russian: вы́звать на ковёр (výzvatʹ na kovjór)

See also

• trip to the woodshed