carry-on

[ kar-ee-on, -awn ]

/ ˈkær iˌɒn, -ˌɔn /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR carry-on ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of a size and shape suitable for being carried onto and stowed in the passenger compartment of an airplane: carry-on luggage.

noun

a piece of carry-on luggage.

Origin of carry-on

First recorded in 1950–55; adj., noun use of verb phrase carry on

Words nearby carry-on

carry through, carry too far, carry trade, carry weight, carry-in, carry-on, carry-out, carry-over, carryall, carryback, carrycot

Definition for carry on (2 of 2)

carry

[ kar-ee ]

/ ˈkær i /

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.

Golf. to advance beyond or go by (an object or expanse) with one stroke.

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.

Hunting. 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.

Golf. 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.
Nautical. (of the wind or sea) to dislodge or send overboard.
Nautical. (of a vessel) to lose (an object or objects) through breakage.
Nautical. (of a rope or chain) to break under strain.

carry back, 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.

carry forward,

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

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.
Informal. to behave in an agitated, foolish, or indiscreet manner.
to misbehave or be disruptive; act up.
Nautical. 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.
Bookkeeping. to transfer (an amount) to the next page, column, or book.
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.
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.

Origin of carry

1275–1325; Middle English carien < Anglo-French carier < Late Latin carricāre, apparently variant of *carrūcāre, derivative of Latin carrūca traveling carriage < Celtic; see car¹

SYNONYMS FOR carry

8 support.

14 gain, secure.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR carry ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for carry

1. 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.

OTHER WORDS FROM carry

car·ri·a·ble, car·ry·a·ble, adjective half-car·ried, adjective re·car·ry, verb (used with object), re·car·ried, re·car·ry·ing. un·car·ried, adjective

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH carry

caries carries

British Dictionary definitions for carry on (1 of 2)

carry on

verb (adverb)

(intr) to continue or persevere we must carry on in spite of our difficulties

(tr) to manage or conduct to carry on a business

(intr often foll by with) informal to have an affair

(intr) informal to cause a fuss or commotion

noun carry-on

informal, mainly British a fuss or commotion

adjective carry-on

(of luggage) to be taken inside an aircraft by hand personally by a passenger

British Dictionary definitions for carry on (2 of 2)

carry

/ (ˈkærɪ) /

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

(also intr) to take or bear (something) from one place to another to carry a baby in one's arms

to transfer for consideration; take he carried his complaints to her superior

to have on one's person he always carries a watch

(also intr) to be transmitted or serve as a medium for transmitting sound carries best over water

to contain or be capable of containing the jug carries water

to bear or be able to bear the weight, pressure, or responsibility of her efforts carry the whole production

to have as an attribute or result this crime carries a heavy penalty

to bring or communicate to carry news

(also intr) to be pregnant with (young) she is carrying her third child

to bear (the head, body, etc) in a specified manner she carried her head high

to conduct or bear (oneself) in a specified manner she carried herself well in a difficult situation

to continue or extend the war was carried into enemy territory

to cause to move or go desire for riches carried him to the city

to influence, esp by emotional appeal his words carried the crowd

to secure the passage of (a bill, motion, etc)

to win (an election)

to obtain victory for (a candidate or measure) in an election

mainly US to win a plurality or majority of votes in (a district, legislative body, etc) the candidate carried 40 states

to capture our troops carried the town

(of communications media) to include as the content this newspaper carries no book reviews

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 to carry a loss Also (esp US): carry over

maths 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 carry confectionery

to support (a musical part or melody) against the other parts

to sustain (livestock) this land will carry twelve ewes to the acre

to maintain (livestock) in good health but without increasing their weight or obtaining any products from them

(intr) (of a ball, projectile, etc) to travel through the air or reach a specified point his first drive carried to the green

sport, esp golf (of a ball) to travel beyond the drive carried the trees

(intr) (of a gun) to have a range as specified this rifle carries for 1200 yards

to retain contact with and pursue (a line of scent)

(intr) (of ground) to be in such a condition that scent lies well upon it

ice hockey to move (the puck) forwards, keeping it against the blade of the stick

informal to imbibe (alcoholic drink) without showing ill effects

(intr) slang to have drugs on one's person

carry all before one to win unanimous support or approval for oneself

carry a tune to be able to sing in tune

carry the can informal to take the responsibility for some misdemeanour, etc (on behalf of)

carry the day to win a contest or competition; succeed

noun plural -ries

the act of carrying

US and Canadian 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

See also carry away, carry back, carry forward, carry off, carry on, carry out, carry over, carry through

Word Origin for carry

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

Idioms and Phrases with carry on (1 of 2)

carry on

Maintain, conduct, as in The villagers carried on a thriving trade, or They carried on a torrid love affair. [c. 1600]

Continue or progress, persevere, as in I'm sure you can carry on without me. [Mid-1600s]

Behave in an excited, improper, or silly manner, as in They laughed and sang and carried on rather noisily. [Early 1800s]

Flirt, engage in an illicit love affair, as in She accused her friend of carrying on with her husband. [Early 1900s]

Idioms and Phrases with carry on (2 of 2)

carry

In addition to the idioms beginning with carry

carry a torch for
carry a tune
carry away
carry coals to Newcastle
carry forward
carrying charge
carry off
carry on
carry out
carry over
carry the ball
carry the can
carry the day
carry the torch
carry through
carry too far
carry weight

also see:

fetch and carry
(carry) off someone's feet

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

carry-on

adjective

noun

Origin of carry-on

Words nearby carry-on

Definition for carry on (2 of 2)

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

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

noun, plural car·ries.

Verb Phrases

Origin of carry

SYNONYMS FOR carry

synonym study for carry

OTHER WORDS FROM carry

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH carry

British Dictionary definitions for carry on (1 of 2)

verb (adverb)

noun carry-on

adjective carry-on

British Dictionary definitions for carry on (2 of 2)

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

noun plural -ries

Word Origin for carry

Idioms and Phrases with carry on (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with carry on (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

carry-on

adjective

noun

Origin of carry-on

Words nearby carry-on

Definition for carry on (2 of 2)

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

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

noun, plural car·ries.

Verb Phrases

Origin of carry

SYNONYMS FOR carry

synonym study for carry

OTHER WORDS FROM carry

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH carry

Words related to carry on

British Dictionary definitions for carry on (1 of 2)

verb (adverb)

noun carry-on

adjective carry-on

British Dictionary definitions for carry on (2 of 2)

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

noun plural -ries

Word Origin for carry

Idioms and Phrases with carry on (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with carry on (2 of 2)