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Top of crocodile skin carpet (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

chide

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'carpet' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I cannot understand how they can define each other.

'top of crocodile skin' is the wordplay.
'top of' suggests taking the first letters.
'skin' becomes 'hide' (hide is a kind of skin).
The first letter of 'crocodile' is 'c'.
'c'+'hide'='CHIDE'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for chide that I've seen before include "Rebuke, scold" , "Censure, berate" , "Tell off" , "Seeing scold" , "Admonish" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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