hearthrug

English

Etymology

From hearth +‎ rug.

Noun

hearthrug (plural hearthrugs)

1. A rug placed in front of a fireplace, on the hearth.
   • 1911, Max Beerbohm, chapter II, in Zuleika Dobson‎^[1]:

     The clock in the Warden’s drawing-room had just struck eight, and already the ducal feet were beautiful on the white bearskin hearthrug.

   • 1923, Elizabeth Bowen, “The Confidante”, in Encounters, page 53:

     Penelope rose from the hearthrug and threw herself on to the Chesterfield.

   • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

     "Just as I reached Amen, when the creature should have been slinking away abashed, the big bearskin hearthrug stood up on end and simply enveloped me."

Translations

rug in front of a fireplace

• Dutch: haardkleed n
• French: tapis du foyer m