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View synonyms for carry-out

carry-out

or car·ry·out

[ kar-ee-out ]

carry out

verb

  1. to perform or cause to be implemented

    I wish he could afford to carry out his plan

  2. to bring to completion; accomplish
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. alcohol bought at a pub or off-licence for consumption elsewhere
    1. hot cooked food bought at a shop or restaurant for consumption elsewhere
    2. a shop or restaurant that sells such food

      we'll get something from the Chinese carry-out

    3. ( as modifier )

      a carry-out shop

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of carry-out1

1965–70, Americanism; adj. use of verb phrase carry out
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Example Sentences

The helicopter was able to recover his body on Thursday morning, saving what would have been a difficult carry-out for 15 conservation officers and more than 30 volunteers who were on their way to him.

In a bid to attract inflation-weary consumers, the pizza chain relaunched $3 Carryout Tips promo, where customers who place a carry-out order of $5 or more earn a $3 promo that can be used for another carry-out order.

From Reuters

UC Berkeley announced in January that it will provide expanded dining options for students fasting during Ramadan, including carry-out meals.

A memo sent out by the House’s chief administrative officer Thursday evening said that committees “shall only carry-out core Constitutional responsibilities.”

Many restaurants and bars attempted to operate with carry-out service to survive the closure.

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More About Carry Out

What does carry-out mean?

Carry-out (or carryout) refers to food or drinks picked up from a restaurant or other place to be consumed elsewhere, typically at home. It can also refer to the place where you get it, though this is less common unless it’s used as an adjective, as in carry-out place or carry-out service.

In the U.S., this is also called takeout. In the U.K., it’s called takeaway. Other terms that are often used to describe such services are pick-up and to-go.

The term carry-out is based on the phrasal verb carry out, literally meaning to carry something out of a place, like you’d carry the pizza out of the pizzeria. (As a verb, carry out also has other meanings.)

Example: I don’t feel like cooking tonight—let’s just get carry-out from the taco place on the way home.

Where does carry-out come from?

Carry-out was first and is primarily used in the U.S. The first records of the word come from the 1930s. It’s origin is straightforward: when you get carryout, you carry it out of the place where you get it.

The term carry-out is sometimes contrasted with the terms eat-in and delivery, such as on a restaurant sign that says Eat-in / Carry-out / Delivery. Eat-in means there is seating available so that you can eat inside the restaurant, and it’s most often used for casual eateries. However, the term carry-out can be applied to all kinds of restaurants that allow you to come pick up the food and leave with it. Drive-through isn’t usually considered the same as carry-out since you don’t have to enter the building (and literally carry out the food).

In the U.S., the term takeout is probably more popular when it comes to food. However, bars that sell alcoholic beverages to-go (like six-packs of beer) very commonly call this service carry-out.

When carry-out refers to a place that offers such a service, it’s typically used as an adjective, as opposed to a noun. People are much more likely to say Let’s get something from the carry-out place, as opposed to Let’s get something from the carry-out.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to carry-out?

  • carryout (alternate spelling)

What are some synonyms for carry-out?

What are some words that share a root or word element with carry-out

What are some words that often get used in discussing carry-out?

How is carry-out used in real life?

Carry-out is most often associated with casual eateries where you can pick your meal and go eat it at home.

 

 

Try using carry-out!

Is carry-out used correctly in the following sentence?

Does the carry-out menu have everything that’s on the regular menu?

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carry-oncarry-over