hearthrug

Everyday

A rug laid on the floor in front of a fireplace. tree →

In the lessons

Found in stories of cosy homes, especially older British ones with open fires. In The Wind in the Willows the animals warm themselves on the hearthrug by Badger's fire. In Alice in Wonderland Alice, grown very tall, jokes about posting presents to her own foot: «Alice's Right Foot, Esq., Hearthrug, near the Fender». It tells the reader that a scene is warm, safe and homely.

Examples

• The dog stretched out on the hearthrug. tree →
• The children sat on the hearthrug toasting bread. tree →
• Mole curled up on Badger's hearthrug. tree →
• The cat licked its paws on the hearthrug. tree →
• A spark jumped from the fire onto the hearthrug. tree →
• Grandma's hearthrug was red and soft. tree →
• The noise disturbed the Cat, who was asleep on the hearthrug. tree →

Note

Compound: hearth (the floor of a fireplace) + rug. Say «HARTH-rug»: hearth rhymes with «path», not with «earth». Safety: a fireguard stops sparks burning the rug.