to carry off
4
8.2
- phrasal verb
- /ˈkæri ɔf/
:
cobrar
- Men were often carried off by cholera and other diseases.
Examples
-
And of course, many mishaps and diseases may carry them off early.
Blog text (3) -
Some bout of influenza at Archway is carrying off all the old folks.
-
In 1576, a plague broke out in Venice, which in a few days carried off thousands of victims.
Blog text (1) -
When the injured were carried off the field, replacements ran out onto it, shouting and chattering.
Fiction book (2000) -
The outbreak of the virus was devastating, carrying off countless lives in just a few weeks.
-
During the famine, the lack of food was so severe that it carried off entire families.
-
The severe storm carried off many residents, leaving the community in mourning.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Cause the death of a person, animal, or other living thing
189
4.2
Destroy something so nothing is left
158
5.7
To kill a large number of people in a violent way
63
7.5
To destroy completely, often killing many people
58
7.5
To destroy a large part of a group or population
13
7.7
Kill an entire group of people or animals so none are left
Antonyms
How Deadly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal sense 'to remove or transport' is directly compositional from 'carry' (to transport) + 'off' (away/removing) and would be clear to a B1 learner who knows the parts. However, the additional sense of moving someone emotionally or metaphorical extensions (and other idiomatic senses) are less predictable from the parts, so overall the item is not fully transparent.
Etymology
Carry off was used for sickness or disaster that seemed to take people away, as if something strong was carrying them off. That's why it can mean 'to kill' many people.