Meaning

• A flat piece of coarse material used for wiping one’s feet, or as a decorative or protective floor covering.

  "Wipe your feet on the mat before coming in."

• A small flat piece of material used to protect a surface from anything hot or rough; a coaster.

  "They put mats on the table during mealtimes."

• A floor pad to protect athletes.

  "The high jumper cleared the bar and landed safely on the mat."

• A thickly tangled mess.

  "a mat of hair"

• A thin layer of woven, non-woven, or knitted fiber that serves as reinforcement to a material.

• A thin surface layer; superficial cover.

  "Iceland moss growing in a mat"

Meaning

• To cover, protect or decorate with mats.

• To form a thick, tangled mess; to interweave into, or like, a mat; to entangle.