Meanings
- idiomaticUnder discussion or consideration.
[…] when any thing was supposed to be upon the tapis worth knowing or listening to, it was the rule to leave the door, not absolutely shut, but somewhat ajar […]
1759–1767, [Laurence Sterne], The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume (please specify |volume=I to IX), London: […] T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, […]1 more example
Of this, however, I was not aware; although, in the present instance, I saw clearly that something of a whimsical nature was upon the tapis with my friend, and that Hermann was its especial object.
1837, Edgar Allan Poe, MystificationSynonyms: on the tapis
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseUnder discussion or consideration.
Origin
Compare French mettre sur le tapis.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
upon the tapis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upon%20the%20tapis
“upon the tapis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upon%20the%20tapis. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “upon the tapis,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upon%20the%20tapis.
Source: upon the tapis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.