carry

¹

[ kar-ee ]

verb (used with object)

, car·ried, car·ry·ing.

1. to take or support from one place to another; convey; transport:

   He carried her for a mile in his arms. This elevator cannot carry more than ten people.

2. to wear, hold, or have around one:

   He carries his knife in his pocket. He carries a cane.

3. to contain or be capable of containing; hold:

   The suitcase will carry enough clothes for a week.

4. to serve as an agency or medium for the transmission of:

   The wind carried the sound. He carried the message to me.

5. to be the means of conveying or transporting (something or someone):

   The wind carried the balloon out of sight.

6. to be pregnant with:

   His wife is carrying twins.

7. to put ahead to a subsequent time, page, etc., or to a higher authority; continue or transfer:

   to carry a case to a higher court; to carry a footnote to a new page.

8. to bear the weight, burden, etc., of; sustain:

   These piers once carried an arch.

   Synonyms: support

9. to take (a leading or guiding part), as in singing; bear or sustain (a part or melody).
10. to hold (the body, head, etc.) in a certain manner:

    She carries her head high.

11. to behave or comport (oneself ):

    She carries herself with decorum.

12. to take the initiative in (a contest):

    The Giants carried the game to the Browns.

13. to secure the adoption of (a motion or bill).
14. to get a plurality or majority of electoral votes in (a district).

    Synonyms: secure, gain

15. to extend or continue in a given direction or to a certain point:

    to carry the war into enemy territory.

16. to bring, impart, hear, transmit, or communicate news, a message, etc.
17. to lead or influence by emotional or intellectual appeal:

    The actor carried his audience with him.

18. to bear the major burden of (a group, performance, etc.) by superior talent, determination, etc.:

    The star carried the whole play.

19. to serve as a conduit for:

    This pipe carries water to the house.

20. to have as an attribute, property, consequence, etc.; presume or entail:

    Violation carries a penalty of five years in prison.

21. to support or give validity to (a related claim, argument, etc.):

    One decision carries another.

22. Commerce.
    1. to keep on hand or in stock.
    2. to keep on the account books.
23. to bear as a crop:

    This land will not carry corn.

24. to sustain or support:

    Our grain supply will carry the cattle through the winter. This money will carry us for about a week.

25. to be enrolled for or to undertake as an amount of work:

    New students are advised not to carry more than 16 credits.

26. Golf. to advance beyond or go by (an object or expanse) with one stroke.
27. Ice Hockey. to cause (a puck) to move forward along the ice and in one's control by a series of light, short taps with the stick.
28. Hunting. to retain and pursue (a scent).
29. (in addition) to transfer (a number) from one denomination to the succeeding one.
30. to have as a maximum working pressure:

    This boiler carries 190 pounds per square inch.

verb (used without object)

, car·ried, car·ry·ing.

1. to act as a bearer or conductor.
2. to have or exert propelling force.
3. to be transmitted, propelled, or sustained:

   My voice carries farther than his.

4. (of a horse) to bear the head in a particular manner while in action:

   The horse carries well.

noun

, plural car·ries.

1. range, as of a gun.
2. Golf. the distance a stroked ball travels.
3. land that separates navigable waters and over which a canoe or boat must be carried; portage.
4. a carrying.

verb phrase

1. 1. to make progress with.
   2. Bookkeeping. to transfer (an amount) to the next page, column, or book.
   3. Accounting. to apply (an unused credit or operating loss) to the net income of a succeeding period in order to reduce the tax for that period.
2. 1. to put into operation; execute:

      He doesn't have the funds to carry out his design.

   2. to effect or accomplish; complete:

      They carried out their plan without incident.

3. 1. to win (a prize, honor, etc.).
   2. to cause the death of:

      The Black Plague in the Middle Ages carried off more than one-fourth of the population of Europe.

4. 1. to influence greatly or unreasonably, especially emotionally; excite; transport:

      The spectators were carried away by the appeal to their patriotism.

   2. Nautical. (of the wind or sea) to dislodge or send overboard.
   3. Nautical. (of a vessel) to lose (an object or objects) through breakage.
   4. Nautical. (of a rope or chain) to break under strain.
5. 1. to accomplish; complete.
   2. to support or help through a difficult situation.
   3. to continue or be prevalent in; persist:

      a theme that carried through all his writing.

6. Accounting. to apply (an unused credit or operating loss) to the net income of a prior period in order to reduce the tax for that period.
7. 1. to manage; conduct.
   2. to continue without stopping:

      Rescue operations were carried on in spite of the storm.

   3. to continue to live, work, etc., despite a setback or tragedy; persevere.
   4. Informal. to behave in an agitated, foolish, or indiscreet manner.
   5. to misbehave or be disruptive; act up.
   6. Nautical. to proceed under excessive sail for the weather conditions.
8. 1. to hold until a later time; postpone.
   2. to be left; remain.
   3. Bookkeeping. to transfer (an amount) to the next page, column, or book.
   4. Accounting. to apply (an unused credit or operating loss) to the net income of a succeeding period in order to reduce the tax for that period.
   5. to extend from one activity or time to another:

      He does not carry over his business ethics into his personal relationships.

Carry

²

[ kar-e ]

noun

1. a male given name, form of Carew.
2. a female given name, form of Caroline.

carry

/ ˈkærɪ /

verb

1. also intr to take or bear (something) from one place to another

   to carry a baby in one's arms

2. to transfer for consideration; take

   he carried his complaints to her superior

3. to have on one's person

   he always carries a watch

4. also intr to be transmitted or serve as a medium for transmitting

   sound carries best over water

5. to contain or be capable of containing

   the jug carries water

6. to bear or be able to bear the weight, pressure, or responsibility of

   her efforts carry the whole production

7. to have as an attribute or result

   this crime carries a heavy penalty

8. to bring or communicate

   to carry news

9. also intr to be pregnant with (young)

   she is carrying her third child

10. to bear (the head, body, etc) in a specified manner

    she carried her head high

11. to conduct or bear (oneself) in a specified manner

    she carried herself well in a difficult situation

12. to continue or extend

    the war was carried into enemy territory

13. to cause to move or go

    desire for riches carried him to the city

14. to influence, esp by emotional appeal

    his words carried the crowd

15. to secure the passage of (a bill, motion, etc)
16. to win (an election)
17. to obtain victory for (a candidate or measure) in an election
18. to win a plurality or majority of votes in (a district, legislative body, etc)

    the candidate carried 40 states

19. to capture

    our troops carried the town

20. (of communications media) to include as the content

    this newspaper carries no book reviews

21. accounting to transfer (an item) to another account, esp to transfer to the following year's account instead of writing off against profit and loss Also (esp US)carry over

    to carry a loss

22. maths to transfer (a number) from one column of figures to the next, as from units to tens in multiplication and addition
23. (of a shop, trader, etc) to keep in stock

    to carry confectionery

24. to support (a musical part or melody) against the other parts
25. to sustain (livestock)

    this land will carry twelve ewes to the acre

26. to maintain (livestock) in good health but without increasing their weight or obtaining any products from them
27. intr (of a ball, projectile, etc) to travel through the air or reach a specified point

    his first drive carried to the green

28. sport golf (of a ball) to travel beyond

    the drive carried the trees

29. intr (of a gun) to have a range as specified

    this rifle carries for 1200 yards

30. to retain contact with and pursue (a line of scent)
31. intr (of ground) to be in such a condition that scent lies well upon it
32. ice hockey to move (the puck) forwards, keeping it against the blade of the stick
33. informal.
    to imbibe (alcoholic drink) without showing ill effects
34. slang.
    intr to have drugs on one's person
35. carry all before one
    to win unanimous support or approval for oneself
36. carry a tune
    to be able to sing in tune
37. carry the can informal.
    to take the responsibility for some misdemeanour, etc (on behalf of)
38. carry the day
    to win a contest or competition; succeed

noun

1. the act of carrying
2. a portion of land over which a boat must be portaged
3. the range of a firearm or its projectile
4. the distance travelled by a ball, etc, esp (in golf) the distance from where the ball is struck to where it first touches the ground

Other Words From

• carri·a·ble carry·a·ble adjective
• half-carried adjective
• re·carry verb (used with object) recarried recarrying
• un·carried adjective
• under·carry verb (used with object) undercarried undercarrying

Word History and Origins

Origin of carry¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English carien, from Anglo-French carier, from Late Latin carricāre “to load a wagon,” apparently variant of carrūcāre (unrecorded), derivative of Latin carrūca “traveling carriage,” from Celtic; car ¹, charge

Word History and Origins

Origin of carry¹

C14 carien, from Old Northern French carier to move by vehicle, from car, from Latin carrum transport wagon; see car

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. carry a tune, to sing a melody accurately or on key.
2. carry all before one, to be highly successful:

   In his academic and social life he carried all before him.

3. carry it off, Informal. to succeed in an action, endeavor, or scheme.
4. carry the day, to win the contest or be triumphant; prevail. The Republicans carried the day.
5. carry too far, to exceed the limits of; go to excess with:

   She is carrying her crusading too far.

6. carry the can. can ²( def 16 ).

More idioms and phrases containing carry

• fetch and carry
• (carry) off someone's feet

Synonym Study

Carry, convey, transport, transmit imply taking or sending something from one place to another. Carry means to take by means of the hands, a vehicle, etc.: to carry a book; The boat carried a heavy load. Convey means to take by means of a nonhuman carrier: The wheat was conveyed to market by train. However, news, information, etc., can be conveyed by a human carrier: The secretary conveyed the message. Transport means to carry or convey goods, now usually by vehicle or vessel: to transport milk to customers. Transmit implies sending or transferring messages or hereditary tendencies: to transmit a telegram.

Example Sentences

In the Senate, the Burbank Democrat will carry a new title: freshman.

From Los Angeles Times

According to federal prosecutors, that includes multiple Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, who were allegedly hired to carry out Iza’s criminal bidding.

From Los Angeles Times

They guide climbers, carry heavy loads, and set up safety equipment.

From NewsForKids.net

Paul claims he carried 'Iron Mike' in the final part of the fight.

From BBC

"It's another game, another week but you obviously carry a bit of animosity from previous encounters."

From BBC

Related Words

• bear
• bring
• ferry
• give
• haul
• hoist
• import
• lift
• lug
• move
• pack
• remove
• take
• tote
• transfer
• transmit