welcome mat
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A mat placed outside an exterior door for wiping shoes before entering: A physical object, typically made of durable, absorbent, or abrasive material, designed to be placed on the ground in front of a doorway. Its primary function is to allow people to clean the soles of their shoes, removing dirt, water, or debris before stepping inside a building.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Please wipe your feet on the welcome mat before you come in.
- We bought a new welcome mat that says "Hello" on it for our front door.
- The welcome mat was soggy from the morning rain.
Advanced Usage
- Figurative Use ("to roll out the welcome mat"): To give someone a very warm and enthusiastic reception. This idiom uses the image of the physical mat to symbolize hospitality.
- The company rolled out the welcome mat for the new interns with a special luncheon.
- The small town rolled out the welcome mat for the visiting dignitaries.
Variants and Related Words
- Doormat (n): A more common synonym for a welcome mat. It can also figuratively mean a person who allows others to treat them badly without complaining.
- Entrance mat (n): A more formal or descriptive term for a mat placed at an entrance.
Synonyms
- Doormat: A mat for wiping shoes at a door.
- Scraper mat: A type of mat with a rough surface specifically for scraping mud off shoes.
Related Phrases
- "Wear out one's welcome": To stay somewhere as a guest for so long that one is no longer welcome. This phrase contrasts with the initial hospitality symbolized by a welcome mat.
- He stayed for three weeks and really wore out his welcome.
Related Idioms
- "To put out the welcome mat": Similar to "roll out the welcome mat," meaning to prepare to receive guests warmly.
- We're putting out the welcome mat for all our family this holiday season.
Noun
- a mat placed outside an exterior door for wiping the shoes before entering