1786, Latin, "enjoy the day," literally "pluck the day (while it is ripe)," an aphorism from Horace ("Odes" I.xi). From second person present imperative of carpere "seize" (from PIE root *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest") + accusative of dies "day" (from PIE root *dyeu- "to shine").

"pistil or pistil-part of a plant," 1835, from Modern Latin carpellum (1817 in French), a diminutive form from Greek karpos "fruit" (also "returns, profit"), literally "that which is plucked" (from PIE root *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest"). Related: Carpellary.

late 13c., carpet, carpete, "coarse cloth;" mid-14c., "tablecloth, bedspread;" from Old French carpite "heavy decorated cloth, a carpet" (Modern French carpette), from Medieval Latin or Old Italian carpita "thick woolen cloth," probably from Latin carpere "to card, pluck" (from PIE root *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest"). Thus it is so called because it was made from unraveled, shredded, "plucked" fabric. The English word is attested from 15c. in reference to floor coverings, and since 18c. this has been the main sense. The smaller sort is a rug.

Formerly the carpet (usually in a single piece, like the Persian carpet) was also used (as it still is in the East) for covering beds, couches, tables, etc., and in hangings. [Century Dictionary]

From 16c.-19c., by association with luxury, ladies' boudoirs, and drawing rooms, it was used as an adjective, often with a tinge of contempt, in reference to men, as in carpet-knight, 1570s, one who has seen no military service in the field; carpet-monger, 1590s, a lover of ease and pleasure, i.e. one more at home on a carpet.

On the carpet "summoned for reprimand" is by 1900, U.S. colloquial (but compare carpet (v.) "call (someone) to be reprimanded," 1823, British servants' slang). This may have merged with older on the carpet "up for consideration" (1726) literally "on the tablecloth," with the word's older sense, hence "a subject for investigation." To sweep or push something under the carpet in the figurative sense is recorded by 1953.

"to take or cull out" a passage in a written or printed work, "select, cite, extract," early 15c. (implied in past participle excerpte "taken from a book"), from Latin excerptus, past participle of excerpere "pluck out, pick out, extract," figuratively "choose, select, gather," also "to leave out, omit," from ex "out" (see ex-) + carpere "pluck, gather," from PIE root *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest." Related: Excerpted; excerpting.

Old English hærfest "autumn," as one of the four seasons, "period between August and November," from Proto-Germanic *harbitas (source also of Old Saxon hervist, Old Frisian and Dutch herfst, German Herbst "autumn," Old Norse haust "harvest"), from PIE root *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest."

In Old English and Middle English it was primarily a season name, with only an implied reference to the gathering of crops. The meaning "the time of gathering crops" is attested by mid-13c., and the sense was extended to the action itself and the product of the action (after c. 1300). After c. 1500 these were the main senses and the borrowed autumn and repurposed fall (n.) supplied the season name.

The figurative uses begin by 1530s. As an adjective, from late 14c. Harvest home (1570s) was a festive celebration of the bringing home the last of the harvest; harvest moon (1704) is that which is full within a fortnight of the autumnal equinox.

c. 1300, scarse, "restricted in quantity, barely sufficient in amount or effect; few in number, rare, seldom seen," from Old North French scars "scanty, scarce" (Old French eschars, Modern French échars), which according to OED is from Vulgar Latin *scarsus, from a presumed *escarpsus, earlier *excarpsus, past participle of *excarpere "pluck out," from classical Latin excerpere "pluck out" (see excerpt).

As an adverb, "hardly, scarcely," early 14c., from the adjective. Phrase make (oneself) scarce "go away, leave at once," is attested by 1771, noted then as a current cant phrase. Related: Scarcely.

"insufficiency, want, dearth," c. 1300, scarsete, from a shortening of Anglo-French and Old North French escarcete (Old French escharsete), from eschars "scanty, scarce" (see scarce).

early 13c., "to talk, speak, tell," from Old Norse karpa "to brag," which is of unknown origin. The meaning turned toward "find fault with, complain," particularly without reason or petulantly (late 14c.) probably by influence of Latin carpere "to slander, revile," literally "to pluck" (which is from PIE root *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest"). Related: Carped; carping.

word-forming element meaning "fruit," from Latinized form of Greek karpos "fruit," from PIE root *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest."