Carry (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

verb (used with object), car·ried, car·ry·ing.

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.
to wear, hold, or have around one: He carries his knife in his pocket. He carries a cane.
to contain or be capable of containing; hold: The suitcase will carry enough clothes for a week.
to serve as an agency or medium for the transmission of: The wind carried the sound. He carried the message to me.
to be the means of conveying or transporting (something or someone): The wind carried the balloon out of sight.
to be pregnant with: His wife is carrying twins.
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.
to bear the weight, burden, etc., of; sustain: These piers once carried an arch.
to take (a leading or guiding part), as in singing; bear or sustain (a part or melody).
to hold (the body, head, etc.) in a certain manner: She carries her head high.
to behave or comport (oneself): She carries herself with decorum.
to take the initiative in (a contest): The Giants carried the game to the Browns.
to secure the adoption of (a motion or bill).
to get a plurality or majority of electoral votes in (a district).
to extend or continue in a given direction or to a certain point: to carry the war into enemy territory.
to bring, impart, hear, transmit, or communicate news, a message, etc.
to lead or influence by emotional or intellectual appeal: The actor carried his audience with him.
to bear the major burden of (a group, performance, etc.) by superior talent, determination, etc.: The star carried the whole play.
to serve as a conduit for: This pipe carries water to the house.
to have as an attribute, property, consequence, etc.; presume or entail: Violation carries a penalty of five years in prison.
to support or give validity to (a related claim, argument, etc.): One decision carries another.
Commerce.

to keep on hand or in stock.
to keep on the account books.

to bear as a crop: This land will not carry corn.
to sustain or support: Our grain supply will carry the cattle through the winter. This money will carry us for about a week.
to be enrolled for or to undertake as an amount of work: New students are advised not to carry more than 16 credits.
to advance beyond or go by (an object or expanse) with one stroke.
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.
to retain and pursue (a scent).
(in addition) to transfer (a number) from one denomination to the succeeding one.
to have as a maximum working pressure: This boiler carries 190 pounds per square inch.

verb (used without object), car·ried, car·ry·ing.

to act as a bearer or conductor.
to have or exert propelling force.
to be transmitted, propelled, or sustained: My voice carries farther than his.
(of a horse) to bear the head in a particular manner while in action: The horse carries well.

noun, plural car·ries.

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

Verb Phrases

carry away,

to influence greatly or unreasonably, especially emotionally; excite; transport: The spectators were carried away by the appeal to their patriotism.
(of the wind or sea) to dislodge or send overboard.
(of a vessel) to lose (an object or objects) through breakage.
(of a rope or chain) to break under strain.

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.
carry forward,

to make progress with.
to transfer (an amount) to the next page, column, or book.
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.

carry off,

to win (a prize, honor, etc.).
to cause the death of: The Black Plague in the Middle Ages carried off more than one-fourth of the population of Europe.

carry on,

to manage; conduct.
to continue without stopping: Rescue operations were carried on in spite of the storm.
to continue to live, work, etc., despite a setback or tragedy; persevere.
to behave in an agitated, foolish, or indiscreet manner.
to misbehave or be disruptive; act up.
to proceed under excessive sail for the weather conditions.

carry out,

to put into operation; execute: He doesn't have the funds to carry out his design.
to effect or accomplish; complete: They carried out their plan without incident.

carry over,

to hold until a later time; postpone.
to be left; remain.
to transfer (an amount) to the next page, column, or book.
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.
to extend from one activity or time to another: He does not carry over his business ethics into his personal relationships.

carry through,

to accomplish; complete.
to support or help through a difficult situation.
to continue or be prevalent in; persist: a theme that carried through all his writing.

Idioms

to be highly successful: In his academic and social life he carried all before him.
to sing a melody accurately or on key.
to succeed in an action, endeavor, or scheme.
can² (def. 16).
to win the contest or be triumphant; prevail. The Republicans carried the day.
to exceed the limits of; go to excess with: She is carrying her crusading too far.

noun

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

verb -ries, -rying or -ried (mainly tr)

to take or bear (something) from one place to another
to transfer for consideration; take
to have on one's person
to be transmitted or serve as a medium for transmitting
to contain or be capable of containing
to bear or be able to bear the weight, pressure, or responsibility of
to have as an attribute or result
to bring or communicate
to be pregnant with (young)
to bear (the head, body, etc) in a specified manner
to conduct or bear (oneself) in a specified manner
to continue or extend
to cause to move or go
to influence, esp by emotional appeal
to secure the passage of (a bill, motion, etc)
to win (an election)
to obtain victory for (a candidate or measure) in an election
to win a plurality or majority of votes in (a district, legislative body, etc)
to capture
(of communications media) to include as the content
to transfer (an item) to another account, esp to transfer to the following year's account instead of writing off against profit and loss
to transfer (a number) from one column of figures to the next, as from units to tens in multiplication and addition
(of a shop, trader, etc) to keep in stock
to support (a musical part or melody) against the other parts
to sustain (livestock)
to maintain (livestock) in good health but without increasing their weight or obtaining any products from them
(of a ball, projectile, etc) to travel through the air or reach a specified point
(of a ball) to travel beyond
(of a gun) to have a range as specified
to retain contact with and pursue (a line of scent)
(of ground) to be in such a condition that scent lies well upon it
to move (the puck) forwards, keeping it against the blade of the stick
to imbibe (alcoholic drink) without showing ill effects
to have drugs on one's person
to win unanimous support or approval for oneself
to be able to sing in tune
to take the responsibility for some misdemeanour, etc (on behalf of)
to win a contest or competition; succeed

noun plural -ries

the act of carrying
a portion of land over which a boat must be portaged
the range of a firearm or its projectile
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