Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to reprimand, esp. in the context of a superior telling off an employee; thus carpet(t)ing, a telling-off.

1840		H. Cockton Valentine Vox 350: They had done nothing! Why were they carpeted?
1855		J.S. Coyne Pippins and Pies 66: The affair with the cook and the phosphorus was the cause of Master Frank being ‘carpeted’.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. 94: [...] servants’ Slang. When a domestic is summoned by the master or mistress to receive a warning or reprimand, he or she is said to be carpeted. The corresponding term in commercial establishments is a wigging.
1867		M. Lemon Golden Fetters I 271: Some unpleasant communication, which, though jocosely softened into ‘carpeting’ and ‘wigging,’ is really among the most distressing experiences of life.
1871		Daily News 23 Sept. n.p.: They were ‘carpeted’ to account for the suspicious running of the mare Tarragona with Michel Grove.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 25 Apr. 10/4: The upshot of the whole affair was that both layer and backers were duly ‘carpeted,’ and after the Riot Act has been read over to them, a notice was issued to all whom it might concern that the wagering of even a ha’penny tart on any future sporting transaction would ensure the offender’s instant dismissal, and land him out on the cold, cold world in the form of a double-barrelled pauper.
1891		Sporting Times 24 Jan. 7/4: Committee day, Carpeted as usual. Committee never happy unless they are bullying a poor proprietor.
1895		Truth (Sydney) 26 May 6/2: Why they carpeted Waterbury [...] was rather a mystery to those best acquainted with that ancient Maorilander.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 13 Jan. 24/3: [When] a crack jockey was carpeted and ordered to ‘stand down,’ he came out, with black amazement depicted on every line of his classic mug, and said, ‘Strewth, if that ain’t the ’ottest thing I ever struck […].’.
1900–10		Stephens & O’Brien Materials for a Dict. of Aus. Sl. [unpub. ms.] 39: CARPETTING: a reprimand or ‘hauling over the coals.’.
1905		Sporting Times 6 May 1/2: The tale of the bishop who was carpeting a curate for driving tandem.
1908		Eve. Star (Wash., DC) 18 Oct. 57/6: Jockeys can’t pull anything now that they’re [...] carpeted for it.
1918		Aussie (France) VII Sept. 6/1: Opportunity came one morning when he was carpeted for being absent from early parade.
1939		L.M. Limpus Honest Cop 267: That in turn made some of the reporters furious when they were carpeted by their superiors for turning in a story which had no foundation.
1968		(con. 1940s) G. Slatter Pagan Game (1969) 175: Grizzleguts matted me for coming back five days late.
1971		T. Lewis Plender [ebook] ‘They all got carpeted’.
1976		D. Ireland Glass Canoe (1982) 65: He incorporated this aberration in his work. The boss carpeted him.
1992		M. Coleman Fatty 293: Raper was carpeted by the Australian Rugby League and threatened with the sack.
2000		Indep. 10 Mar. 2: Harare’s envoy is carpeted by furious minister.
2002		S. Maloney Something Fishy (2006) 39: I’ll be carpetted for letting you lot come along.