under the carpet

under the carpet

Kept secret or hidden from view, usually due to one's misfortune or embarrassment. The phrase is typically used with the verbs "sweep" and "brush," likened to how dirt would be swept under a carpet to hastily hide it. We need to sweep this scandal under the carpet as soon as possible. I was so mortified by my mistake that I immediately tried to brush it under the carpet.
See also: carpet
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • under the rug
  • woe is me
  • Woe is me!
  • will be along
  • be along
  • the upper hand
  • upper hand
  • better things to do
  • the hang of
  • the hang of (something)
References in classic literature
I know of your visit to Eduardo Lucas, of your giving him this document, of your ingenious return to the room last night, and of the manner in which you took the letter from the hiding-place under the carpet."
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
"We generate a brief, loud noise, first without any carpet, then with a glued-down carpet sample, and thirdly, with a sample of carpet cushion installed under the carpet. We measure the different times the noise takes to dissipate to determine the percentage absorbed."
Quiet! New research: carpet cushion can vastly improve acoustics. (Design)
It also is advisable to seal carpet seams well and, perhaps, choose a carpet with an impervious moisture barrier backing system and/or seal concrete slabs under the carpet in order to minimize the absorption of spills.
Making the choice to carpet
Excess water in your carpet can loosen seams, soften backing material, and even damage the floors under the carpet. Make sure the suction part of your machine is working properly; it should leave the carpet damp, not wet.
How to clean carpets
Order the equivalent amount of pad to go under the carpet and purchase enough tackless strips to go around the perimeter of the room.
Let the seaming iron warm for 5 to 10 minutes, then set it on top of the tape (and under the carpet) at one end of the seam.
How to install carpet