carpet knight

• Terme désuet pour un chevalier fait en temps de paix, souvent lors d'une cérémonie tenue en intérieur (sur un tapis) plutôt que sur le champ de bataille, sous-entendant un manque d'expérience militaire ou de vaillance.

An archaic term for a knight who was knighted in peacetime, often in a ceremony held indoors (on a carpet), rather than on the battlefield. It implies a lack of military experience or valor.

1. Luxurious or Effeminate ManC2formalbritish

   A man who avoids the hardships of military life and prefers the comforts of home or court; often used to describe someone who is more interested in luxury and pleasure than in duty or action.

   Chevalier de salon

   • He was dismissed as a mere carpet knight, more at home in a drawing-room than on a battlefield.
   • The general had no respect for the young officer, calling him a carpet knight who had never seen real combat.
   • In the novel, the character is portrayed as a carpet knight, always dressed in fine silks and avoiding any physical labor.