carry: Meaning and Definition of

car•ry

Pronunciation: (kar'ē), [key]
— v., n., pl. -ried, -ry•ing, -ries.
—v.t.
  1. 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.
  2. to wear, hold, or have around one: He carries his knife in his pocket. He carries a cane.
  3. to contain or be capable of containing; hold: The suitcase will carry enough clothes for a week.
  4. to serve as an agency or medium for the transmission of: The wind carried the sound. He carried the message to me.
  5. to be the means of conveying or transporting (something or someone): The wind carried the balloon out of sight.
  6. to be pregnant with: His wife is carrying twins.
  7. 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.
  8. to bear the weight, burden, etc., of; sustain: These piers once carried an arch.
  9. to take (a leading or guiding part), as in singing; bear or sustain (a part or melody).
  10. to hold (the body, head, etc.) in a certain manner: She carries her head high.
  11. to behave or comport (oneself&hasp;): She carries herself with decorum.
  12. to take the initiative in (a contest): The Giants carried the game to the Browns.
  13. to secure the adoption of (a motion or bill).
  14. to get a plurality or majority of electoral votes in (a district).
  15. to extend or continue in a given direction or to a certain point: to carry the war into enemy territory.
  16. to bring, impart, hear, transmit, or communicate news, a message, etc.
  17. to lead or influence by emotional or intellectual appeal: The actor carried his audience with him.
  18. to bear the major burden of (a group, performance, etc.) by superior talent, determination, etc.: The star carried the whole play.
  19. to serve as a conduit for: This pipe carries water to the house.
  20. to have as an attribute, property, consequence, etc.; presume or entail: Violation carries a penalty of five years in prison.
  21. to support or give validity to (a related claim, argument, etc.): One decision carries another.
    1. to keep on hand or in stock.
    2. to keep on the account books.
  22. to bear as a crop: This land will not carry corn.
  23. to sustain or support: Our grain supply will carry the cattle through the winter. This money will carry us for about a week.
  24. to be enrolled for or to undertake as an amount of work: New students are advised not to carry more than 16 credits.
  25. to advance beyond or go by (an object or expanse) with one stroke.
  26. 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.
  27. to retain and pursue (a scent).
  28. (in addition) to transfer (a number) from one denomination to the succeeding one.
  29. to have as a maximum working pressure: This boiler carries 190 pounds per square inch.
—v.i.
  1. to act as a bearer or conductor.
  2. to have or exert propelling force.
  3. to be transmitted, propelled, or sustained: My voice carries farther than his.
  4. (of a horse) to bear the head in a particular manner while in action: The horse carries well.
  5. to be highly successful: In his academic and social life he carried all before him.
  6. to sing a melody accurately or on key.
  7. The spectators were carried away by the appeal to their patriotism.
    1. to influence greatly or unreasonably, esp. emotionally; excite; transport:The spectators were carried away by the appeal to their patriotism.
    2. Naut.(of the wind or sea) to dislodge or send overboard.
    3. Naut.(of a vessel) to lose (an object or objects) through breakage.
    4. Naut.(of a rope or chain) to break under strain.
  8. 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.
    1. to make progress with.
    2. Bookkeeping.to transfer (an amount) to the next page, column, or book.
    3. 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.
  9. to succeed in an action, endeavor, or scheme.
  10. The Black Plague in the Middle Ages carried off more than one-fourth of the population of Europe.
    1. to win (a prize, honor, etc.).
    2. to cause the death of:The Black Plague in the Middle Ages carried off more than one-fourth of the population of Europe.
  11. Rescue operations were carried on in spite of the storm.
    1. to manage; conduct.
    2. to continue without stopping:Rescue operations were carried on in spite of the storm.
    3. to continue to live, work, etc., despite a setback or tragedy; persevere.
    4. Informal.to behave in an agitated, foolish, or indiscreet manner.
    5. to misbehave or be disruptive; act up.
    6. Naut.to proceed under excessive sail for the weather conditions.
  12. He doesn't have the funds to carry out his design.
    1. to put into operation; execute:He doesn't have the funds to carry out his design.
    2. to effect or accomplish; complete:They carried out their plan without incident.
  13. He does not carry over his business ethics into his personal relationships.
    1. to hold until a later time; postpone.
    2. to be left; remain.
    3. Bookkeeping.to transfer (an amount) to the next page, column, or book.
    4. 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.
    5. to extend from one activity or time to another:He does not carry over his business ethics into his personal relationships.
  14. See(def. 10).
  15. to win the contest or be triumphant; prevail. The Republicans carried the day.
  16. a theme that carried through all his writing.
    1. to accomplish; complete.
    2. to support or help through a difficult situation.
    3. to continue or be prevalent in; persist:a theme that carried through all his writing.
  17. to exceed the limits of; go to excess with: She is carrying her crusading too far.
—n.
  1. range, as of a gun.
  2. the distance a stroked ball travels.
  3. land that separates navigable waters and over which a canoe or boat must be carried; portage.
  4. a carrying.

Car•ry

Pronunciation: (kar'e), [key]
— n.
  1. a male given name, form of
  2. a female given name, form of
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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