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to carry

to carry

1.0
Hold and move something from one place to another
  • verb
  • /ˈkæri/
translation icon : llevar
  • I had to carry him all the way home.
  • carry a bag
  • carry a load
  • carry water

they show people carrying a snake like stick

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Examples

  • He struggled to carry the heavy boxes up the stairs.

  • Tom, I can't carry all this alone.

  • Very easy, just carry it right in just like that.

  • See if you can carry that as far as the living room.

  • And carry this big stick.

  • Please cut it out and carry it in your pocket.

  • If you are tired, one of the women can carry it for you," she suggests in Spanish.

    Academic text (2008)
  • You could buy this one wallet and carry it for life.

  • I mean, mainly I'll just carry like my computer.

  • I'm gonna carry it over my arm, just in case.

Synonyms

to take
vsto carry
1.0

Move someone or something to another place

is the general action of holding and transporting items by hand or vehicle
to bring
vsto carry
1.0

To take someone or something with you to a place

is broader movement without focus on fetching from another place
to take someone to
vsto carry
1.7

Go with a person to bring them to a place

is the broader movement of objects or people without emphasising accompaniment
to transport
vsto carry
377 1.4

To move people or goods from one place to another, often by vehicle

is simpler physical moving, not necessarily by vehicle or service
to haul
vsto carry
157 2.1

To carry something in a vehicle or over a long distance

is general movement including light objects and casual lifting
to cart
vsto carry
36 2.3

To carry something, often heavy, from one place to another

is general hand or body movement rather than wheeled transport
to tote
vsto carry
  • US
30 6.0

To carry something heavy or awkward

is neutral holding and transport without stressing awkwardness
to ferry
vsto carry
29 2.0

To carry people or goods across water regularly, often by boat

covers movement between places not limited to water crossings
to convey
vsto carry
18 3.5

To take people or things from one place to another

is the everyday physical moving of objects rather than formal transfer
to schlep
vsto carry
  • Slang
7 9.9

To carry something heavy or awkward with effort

is neutral transport without implying extra effort or awkwardness
to shoulder
vsto carry
5 3.6

To lift something onto the top of your arms to carry it

describes moving or supporting items by any method, not only that lifted on upper back

Antonyms

1.0

To let something fall suddenly or by accident

604 2.6

To go away from a place without taking someone or something with you

Idioms

To sing in tune without going off-key

to carry a torch
  • Informal
4 7.7

Have strong feelings of love for someone who does not love you back

To do as much work as the others in a group

To behave in a calm, proud way when facing difficulty

1 9.9

To support someone and do things for them without asking questions

1 7.4

To take on responsibility as the next leader

1 7.9

To accept blame or responsibility that others refuse

To sing a note correctly and stay in tune

To be unable to sing in tune

To sing very badly and out of tune

To do something not needed because there is already plenty of it

To do important work well when other people depend on you

Phrasal Verbs

348 1.8

To do a task or follow instructions

253 2.7

To continue doing something after an interruption or when it is difficult

88 3.5

To move people or things away, sometimes because of strong feeling

to carry on
  • Informal
53 4.2

To behave in a silly or noisy way that annoys people

Continue doing something after a pause or interruption

14 3.5

To move something from one time or situation to a later one

to carry to term
  • Specialized
13 4.4

To continue a pregnancy until the baby is fully developed and ready to be born

to carry forward
  • Specialized
4 3.7

To move something unused from one period to the next so it can still be used

4 8.2

To kill many people or animals

To help someone get out of a dangerous or very difficult situation

4 4.4

To take a person to another place or to move someone's feelings suddenly

To have influence with people or in a situation

Finish something successfully when it is difficult

2 5.3

To do something difficult successfully and with skill

2 4.6

Lead a project or task and make sure it is finished

to carry over
  • Specialized
1 4.6

To keep unsold goods from one season to sell in the next

1 5.7

To do small, simple tasks or errands for someone in charge

1 8.5

Support or defend someone in a group, often without getting anything

A voice or sound that can be heard clearly at a distance

to carry back
  • Specialized
8.8

Subtract a loss or unused tax credit from the previous year's taxable income to reduce tax for that year

7.8

Have problems from the past that still affect your feelings or actions

Compounds

35 2.3

A small bag a passenger can take onto an airplane

carry-over
  • Specialized
1 5.1

Using skill or knowledge from one situation in another similar situation

Selling goods that customers must pay for in cash and carry away themselves

fireman's carry
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A way of carrying a person over your shoulders to move them quickly

carry-forward
  • Specialized
1 7.3

An amount of profit or loss that a company moves from a past financial period to the next period

carry-over
  • Specialized
7.0

Profit left in a company after paying dividends and putting money aside

6.6

A simple, boring job doing small errands and chores

fetch-and-carry task
  • Specialized
7.2

A robot action to pick up an object and carry it to a place

How Heavy

to lug
21 4.4
to haul
157 2.1
to carry
1.0
to hold
1.0

Surface Forms

carry infinitive
carried past
carried past participle
carrying present participle
carries third person singular

Etymology

Carry comes from an old word that meant 'to put on a cart' and is related to car and cart; it originally meant moving things from one place to another. So, to carry something is to hold or move it by hand or in a vehicle.