26984 words

carry

42 definitions • 77 examples
1
to hold something or someone with your hands, arms, or on your back and transport it, him, or her from one place to another:

Examples:

Would you like me to carry your bag for you?
These books are too heavy for me to carry.
We only had a small suitcase, so we were able to carry it onto the plane.
Robson injured his leg in the second half of the match and had to be carried off.
carry someone/something off Thieves broke the shop window and carried off (= removed) jewellery worth thousands of pounds.
2
to move someone or something from one place to another:

Examples:

carry someone/something away Rubbish left on the beach during the day is carried away (= removed) at night by the tide.
The bus that was involved in the accident was carrying children to school.
The Brooklyn Bridge carries traffic across the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan.
Police think that the body was carried down the river (= was transported by the flow of the river).
Underground cables carry electricity to all parts of the city.
3
to have something with you all the time:

Examples:

carry a memory figurative He will carry the memory of the accident with him (= will remember the accident) for ever.
Police officers in Britain do not usually carry guns.
4
to have something as a part, quality, or result:

Examples:

carry weight I'm afraid my opinion doesn't carry any weight with (= influence) my boss.
Our cars carry a twelve-month guarantee.
His speech carried so much conviction that I had to agree with him.
US The salesclerk said they didn't carry (= have a supply of) sportswear.
5
to take something from one person or thing and give it to another person or thing:

Examples:

6
to support the weight of something without moving or breaking:

Examples:

The weight of the cathedral roof is carried by two rows of pillars.
7
to support, keep in operation, or make a success:

Examples:

We can no longer afford to carry people who don't work as hard as they should.
Luckily they had a very strong actor in the main part and he managed to carry the whole play (= make a success of it through his own performance).
8
to win the support, agreement, or sympathy of a group of people:

Examples:

The bosses' plans to reorganize the company won't succeed unless they can carry the workforce with them.
9
to give approval, especially by voting:

Examples:

The motion/proposal/resolution/bill was carried by 210 votes to 160.
10

Examples:

This morning's newspapers all carry the same story on their front page.
11

Examples:

The sound of the explosion carried for miles.
The ball carried high into the air and landed on the other side of the fence.
12
to develop or continue something:

Examples:

carry something forward We must end here, but we can carry today's discussion forward at our next meeting.
Lenin carried Marx's ideas a stage further by putting them into practice.
If we carry this argument to its logical conclusion, we realize that further investment is not a good idea.
She carries tidiness to extremes/to its limits (= she is too tidy).
He always carries his jokes too far (= he continues making jokes when he should have stopped).
13
to move your body in a particular way:

Examples:

You can tell she's a dancer from the way that she carries herself.
She carries herself with the poise of a model.
She carried herself with grace and dignity.
Helena carried herself with a certain elegance that turned heads when she walked into a room.
You can convey quiet confidence just by carrying yourself in a certain way.
14
to put a number into another column when doing addition
15
in American football, to run across the field towards the goal while holding the ball, gaining an advantage for your team:

Examples:

Every running back wants to carry the ball.
Johnson carried 26 times for 202 yards.
16
in ice hockey and football, to control the puck or ball and move forward toward the goal with it:

Examples:

He carried the puck into the Vancouver zone on the left side.
He burst through, carrying the ball from the halfway line into the Barcelona penalty area.
17
in basketball, to put your hand underneath the ball while dribbling (= moving the ball by repeatedly hitting it against the floor with your hand) or as you start to move, which is against the rules:

Examples:

If you carry the ball, the referee will blow the whistle and you will lose possession.
18
In golf, if you carry a part of the golf course (= playing area) such as a bunker, fairway, etc., you successfully hit the ball over it:

Examples:

The opening tee shots must try to carry the fairway bunkers at 260 yards.
19
In cricket, if a ball carries, it does not hit the ground before being caught:

Examples:

The fielder wasn't sure whether the ball had carried so it was referred to the third umpire.
20
to be pregnant with a child:

Examples:

It was quite a shock to learn that she was carrying twins.
I was enormous when I was carrying Josh.
21
the act of carrying a gun:

Examples:

For daily carry by officers, weapons should be durable and easy to clean.
22
in American football, an occasion when a player holds the ball while moving forwards across the field towards the goal, gaining an advantage for their team:

Examples:

The yards gained on a carry are referred to as "rushing yards".
He currently holds the record for the most career carries.
23
in basketball, the act of putting your hand underneath the ball while dribbling (= moving the ball by repeatedly hitting it against the floor with your hand) or as you start to move, which is against the rules:

Examples:

The referee blew the whistle and called the player for a carry.
A carry becomes a double dribble if the player starts to dribble the ball again after stopping.
24
in golf, the distance a ball travels from where it is hit into the air to where it reaches the ground:

Examples:

This left him needing a carry of 226 yards to avoid the water hazard in front of the green.
We found the club did contribute to extra carry distance.
25
in cricket, the amount that the ball bounces and travels after hitting the ground when bowled (= thrown):

Examples:

He's not a particularly fast bowler but he's getting good carry through to the wicketkeeper off this pitch.
26
the act of carrying someone, especially a child:

Examples:

She was tired and wanted a carry.
Shall I give you a carry?
27
relating to the carrying of a gun:

Examples:

He said that it can be difficult to get a carry permit in New York.
Illinois is one of only two states without a carry law.
28
to transport or take from one place to another:

Examples:

The plane carried 116 passengers and a crew of seven.
Would you like me to carry your bag for you?
Underground cables carry electricity to all parts of the city.
29
to have something with you from one place to another:

Examples:

I carry my wallet in my back pocket.
I don’t carry a lot of cash.
30
to take something from one person or thing and give it to another person or thing; to spread:

Examples:

The mosquitoes will be studied to see if they carry the virus.
31
to have something as a part, quality, or result:

Examples:

All our rental cars carry collision insurance.
I’m sorry, we don’t carry shoes (= we do not sell shoes).
His argument carries a lot of conviction (= is supported by strong belief).
32
to support the weight of something:

Examples:

The weight of the roof is carried by steel beams.
33
to support, keep in operation, or make a success:

Examples:

We cannot afford to carry people who don’t do their share of the work.
34
to win the support, agreement, or sympathy of a group of people:

Examples:

Gore is expected to carry (= get the most votes in) the midwestern states.
35
to win approval or support for something:

Examples:

With 21 votes for, and 8 opposed, the motion is carried.
36
37
(esp. of sounds) to be able to reach or travel a particular distance:

Examples:

The actors’ voices carried all the way to the back of the theater.
38
to put a number into another column when doing addition
39
to move and hold your body in a particular way:

Examples:

You can tell she’s a dancer by the way she carries herself.
40
to transport or take something from one place to another:

Examples:

The railroad carries tons of freight every day.
41
to offer something for sale:

Examples:

Does this store carry camping equipment?
42
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