carry
♦♦♦ car|ry /k'æri/ (carries carrying carried)
1 [VERB] V n, V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If you carry something, you take it with you, holding it so that it does not touch the ground.
He was carrying a briefcase...
He carried the plate through to the dining room...
If your job involves a lot of paperwork, you're going to need something to carry it all in.
2 [VERB] V n
If you carry something, you have it with you wherever you go.
You have to carry a bleeper so that they can call you in at any time.
3 [VERB] V n adv/prep, V n
If something carries a person or thing somewhere, it takes them there.
Flowers are designed to attract insects which then carry the pollen from plant to plant...
The ship could carry seventy passengers.
= transport
4 [VERB] V n
If a person or animal is carrying a disease, they are infected with it and can pass it on to other people or animals.
Frogs eat pests which destroy crops and carry diseases.
5 [VERB] no passive, no cont, V n
If an action or situation has a particular quality or consequence, you can say that it carries it.
Check that any medication you're taking carries no risk for your developing baby...
6 [VERB] V n prep/adv
If a quality or advantage carries someone into a particular position or through a difficult situation, it helps them to achieve that position or deal with that situation.
He had the ruthless streak necessary to carry him into the Cabinet...
7 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If you carry an idea or a method to a particular extent, you use or develop it to that extent.
It's not such a new idea, but I carried it to extremes...
We could carry that one step further by taking the same genes and putting them into another crop.
= take
8 [VERB] V n
If a newspaper or poster carries a picture or a piece of writing, it contains it or displays it.
Several papers carry the photograph of Mr Anderson.
9 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed
In a debate, if a proposal or motion is carried, a majority of people vote in favour of it.
A motion backing its economic policy was carried by 322 votes to 296.
10 [VERB] no cont, V n
If a crime carries a particular punishment, a person who is found guilty of that crime will receive that punishment.
It was a crime of espionage and carried the death penalty.
11 [VERB] V adv, also V
If a sound carries, it can be heard a long way away.
Even in this stillness Leaphorn doubted if the sound would carry far.
12 [VERB] no passive, V n
If a candidate or party carries a state or area, they win the election in that state or area. (AM; in BRIT, usually use take)
George W. Bush carried the state with 56 percent of the vote.
13 [VERB] V pron-refl prep/adv
If you carry yourself in a particular way, you walk and move in that way.
They carried themselves with great pride and dignity.
14 [VERB] usu cont
If a woman is carrying a child, she is pregnant. (OLD-FASHIONED)
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you get carried away or are carried away, you are so eager or excited about something that you do something hasty or foolish.
I got completely carried away and almost cried.
16
to carry the can: see can
to carry conviction: see conviction
to carry the day: see day
to carry weight: see weightcarry off
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, also V P n (not pron)
If you carry something off, you do it successfully.
He's got the experience and the authority to carry it off.
= bring off
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you carry off a prize or a trophy, you win it.
It carried off the Evening Standard drama award for best play.carry on
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P -ing, V P with n, V P n (not pron), V P
If you carry on doing something, you continue to do it.
The assistant carried on talking...
Her bravery has given him the will to carry on with his life and his work...
His eldest son Joseph carried on his father's traditions...
`Do you mind if I just start with the few formal questions please?'--`Carry on.'
= continue
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
If you carry on an activity, you do it or take part in it for a period of time.
The consulate will carry on a political dialogue with Indonesia...
= conduct
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P about n
If you say that someone is carrying on, you are irritated with them because they are talking very excitedly and saying a lot of unnecessary things. (INFORMAL)
She was yelling and screaming and carrying on...
He was carrying on about some stupid television series.
= make a fusscarry out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you carry out a threat, task, or instruction, you do it or act according to it.
Police say they believe the attacks were carried out by nationalists...
Commitments have been made with very little intention of carrying them out.carry over
[PHRASAL VERB] V P into/to n, be V-ed P into/to n
If something carries over or is carried over from one situation to another, it continues to exist or apply in the new situation.
Priestley's rational outlook in science carried over to religion...
Springs and wells were decorated, a custom which was carried over into Christian times in Europe.carry through
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you carry something through, you do it or complete it, often in spite of difficulties.
We don't have the confidence that the UN will carry through a sustained program...
The state announced a clear-cut policy and set out to carry it through.
1 [VERB] V n, V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If you carry something, you take it with you, holding it so that it does not touch the ground.
He was carrying a briefcase...
He carried the plate through to the dining room...
If your job involves a lot of paperwork, you're going to need something to carry it all in.
2 [VERB] V n
If you carry something, you have it with you wherever you go.
You have to carry a bleeper so that they can call you in at any time.
3 [VERB] V n adv/prep, V n
If something carries a person or thing somewhere, it takes them there.
Flowers are designed to attract insects which then carry the pollen from plant to plant...
The ship could carry seventy passengers.
= transport
4 [VERB] V n
If a person or animal is carrying a disease, they are infected with it and can pass it on to other people or animals.
Frogs eat pests which destroy crops and carry diseases.
5 [VERB] no passive, no cont, V n
If an action or situation has a particular quality or consequence, you can say that it carries it.
Check that any medication you're taking carries no risk for your developing baby...
6 [VERB] V n prep/adv
If a quality or advantage carries someone into a particular position or through a difficult situation, it helps them to achieve that position or deal with that situation.
He had the ruthless streak necessary to carry him into the Cabinet...
7 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If you carry an idea or a method to a particular extent, you use or develop it to that extent.
It's not such a new idea, but I carried it to extremes...
We could carry that one step further by taking the same genes and putting them into another crop.
= take
8 [VERB] V n
If a newspaper or poster carries a picture or a piece of writing, it contains it or displays it.
Several papers carry the photograph of Mr Anderson.
9 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed
In a debate, if a proposal or motion is carried, a majority of people vote in favour of it.
A motion backing its economic policy was carried by 322 votes to 296.
10 [VERB] no cont, V n
If a crime carries a particular punishment, a person who is found guilty of that crime will receive that punishment.
It was a crime of espionage and carried the death penalty.
11 [VERB] V adv, also V
If a sound carries, it can be heard a long way away.
Even in this stillness Leaphorn doubted if the sound would carry far.
12 [VERB] no passive, V n
If a candidate or party carries a state or area, they win the election in that state or area. (AM; in BRIT, usually use take)
George W. Bush carried the state with 56 percent of the vote.
13 [VERB] V pron-refl prep/adv
If you carry yourself in a particular way, you walk and move in that way.
They carried themselves with great pride and dignity.
14 [VERB] usu cont
If a woman is carrying a child, she is pregnant. (OLD-FASHIONED)
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you get carried away or are carried away, you are so eager or excited about something that you do something hasty or foolish.
I got completely carried away and almost cried.
16
to carry the can: see can
to carry conviction: see conviction
to carry the day: see day
to carry weight: see weightcarry off
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, also V P n (not pron)
If you carry something off, you do it successfully.
He's got the experience and the authority to carry it off.
= bring off
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you carry off a prize or a trophy, you win it.
It carried off the Evening Standard drama award for best play.carry on
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P -ing, V P with n, V P n (not pron), V P
If you carry on doing something, you continue to do it.
The assistant carried on talking...
Her bravery has given him the will to carry on with his life and his work...
His eldest son Joseph carried on his father's traditions...
`Do you mind if I just start with the few formal questions please?'--`Carry on.'
= continue
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
If you carry on an activity, you do it or take part in it for a period of time.
The consulate will carry on a political dialogue with Indonesia...
= conduct
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P about n
If you say that someone is carrying on, you are irritated with them because they are talking very excitedly and saying a lot of unnecessary things. (INFORMAL)
She was yelling and screaming and carrying on...
He was carrying on about some stupid television series.
= make a fusscarry out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you carry out a threat, task, or instruction, you do it or act according to it.
Police say they believe the attacks were carried out by nationalists...
Commitments have been made with very little intention of carrying them out.carry over
[PHRASAL VERB] V P into/to n, be V-ed P into/to n
If something carries over or is carried over from one situation to another, it continues to exist or apply in the new situation.
Priestley's rational outlook in science carried over to religion...
Springs and wells were decorated, a custom which was carried over into Christian times in Europe.carry through
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you carry something through, you do it or complete it, often in spite of difficulties.
We don't have the confidence that the UN will carry through a sustained program...
The state announced a clear-cut policy and set out to carry it through.