Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 700-800
Language: Late Latin
Origin: matta

mat

1 noun
     
mat
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mat1 [countable]
1DHH a small piece of thick rough material which covers part of a floor:
Wipe your feet on the mat.
2DHH a small flat piece of wood, cloth etc which protects a surface, especially on a table:
a beer mat (=a mat for putting a glass of beer on)
a mouse mat (=for a computer mouse)
 ➔ place mat
3DSO a piece of thick soft material used in some activities for people to sit on, fall onto etc:
a yoga mat
a prayer mat
4

go to the mat (for somebody/something)

to do everything you can to solve a difficult problem, win an argument, support someone etc:
The mayor is willing to go to the mat on this issue.
5 a thick mass of something such as hairs or leaves [↪ matted]
mat of
a floating mat of vegetation
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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