Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) a tourist bus.

1922

B. Hecht A Thousand and One Afternoons [ebook] I join a rubberneck crowd in one of the carryalls with a megaphone guy in charge.

(US und.) a robbery wherein the safe is first removed from the premises before being opened.

1958

J. Webb Badge (2006) 302: CARRY AWAY Where safe is carried away before being worked on.

a coach.

1630

J. Taylor Works (1869) n.p.: Our hyreling hackney carry knaves, and hurry-whores.

see separate entry.

a hangover that lingers on.

1896		H. Blossom Checkers 50: Did you ever get a jag on sherry? Well [...] it gives you a ‘beaut.’ Arthur had a ‘carry-over’ that lasted him for about three days.
1945		J.B. Priestly Three Men in New Suits 133: You wake up with a sort of carry-over, you’re still rather gay and cock-eyed. [...] Strictly speaking, I’m still a bit tight.

see also under relevant n.

(US) to gossip, to spread rumours.

1904		Broad Ax (Salt Lake City, UT) 23 July 12/5: A tattler is to be despised and dreaded by friend and foe [...] that old proverb is a true one. ‘A dog that will carry a bone will bring one’.
1912		R.W. Brown ‘Word-List From Western Indiana’ in DN III:viii 573: carry a bone, v. To pack a tale about.

to work as a prostitute.

1823

‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 17: ‘She carries the broom up’ at the mast-head, [is Long Shore] signifies ‘to be sold or hired,’ and is applied to females as well as ships, which are likewise spoken of in the feminine. [Ibid.] 81: Flesh-market any walk, or run for females who carry the broom up, is the flesh-market ? so and so, as of the Piazzas, Cheapside, Strand, &c.

(US Und.) to be out on bail.

1983

R. Klein Jailhouse Jargon and Street Sl. [unpub. ms.].

(US black) to trick, to deceive.

[1930		Z.N. Hurston De Turkey and de Law in Coll. Plays (2008) 276: Lonnie didn't even know Nunkie was carrying the cub to him. Lonnie can't skin worth a cent].
1930		Blind Willie Reynolds ‘Married Man’s Blues’ 🎵 Let me tell you men what these married women will do, / She will get your money, she will carry a cub to you.

(US tramp) to travel under an assumed name or alias.

1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 47: Carrying a Flag. – Travelling under an assumed name or with an alias. In railroad parlance, a train or engine is carrying a flag when signals are displayed to indicate that the train is not on the schedule, or that it is travelling in sections, and therefore not merely as it appears.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 793: carrying a flag – Traveling under an assumed name or alias.

see carry weight

(US black) to use or share someone else’s hotel room room and make no contribution to the rent.

1971

R.D. Pharr S.R.O. (1998) 181: Anybody that don’t have a room of theeir own and bunks in with soemone else for free is carrying a stick, just like a tramp.

to behave well when successful, i.e. to be a modest winner, to restrain oneself despite gaining power or money.

1873		Sl. Dict. 109: Carry Corn to bear success well and equally. It is said of a man who breaks down under a sudden access of wealth ? as successful horse-racing men and unexpected legatees often do ? or who becomes affected and intolerant, that ‘he doesn’t carry corn well.’.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 2: Carry Corn - To bear success well and equally.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

of a man, to walk with a woman on each arm.

1858

A. Mayhew Paved with Gold 112: Presently a gentleman, ‘carrying milk-pails,’ as the boys called it — that is, with a lady on each arm, advanced up the colonnade.

to show oneself proof against swindling or insults.

1595		Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet I i: Gregory, o’ my word, we’ll not carry coals.
1638		H. Shirley Martyr’d Souldier II i: I can carry anything but Blowes, Coles, my Drink, and – the tongue of a Scould.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: He’ll carry no Coals, not be Pissed upon, or Imposed upon, nor bear a Trick, or take an Affront, or tamely pass by any ill Treatment.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].

see separate entry.

1. to take responsibility for one’s actions.

1960		C. Cooper Jr Scene (1996) 252: I can pay my dues [...] I can carry my own weight.
1977		E. Bunker Animal Factory 182: I ain’t leanin’ on nobody. I carry my own weight.
2019		N. Walker Cherry 271: He was the type to get people into fucked-up situations and hope that they’d perform miracles for him. Rider didn’t ever carry his own weight.

2. to have influence.

1959		C. Himes Crazy Kill 118: Johnny Perry carries his weight in this town.
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 232: carry weight 1. Possess influence.

see bring one’s hogs to a fair market under bring v.

(S.Afr.) to bear a grudge against someone in the hope of getting eventual revenge.

1946

Cape Times 23 May n.p.: If the ‘sky blue’, languishing in prison, considers that he has been framed by one of his previous cronies (variously known as chummies, pallie blues, or beans) he will ‘carry him in his heart’ until he can . . . get his revenge [DSUE].

see carry a broom at the masthead

1. (Aus.) to work slowly (in a shearing shed).

1945

Baker Aus. Lang. 64: To carry the drum means to work slowly or lazily.

2. see drum n.⁵ (1)

1. (US) to go fast.

1927		‘Jargon of the Und.’ in DN V 441: Carry the mail, To run at top speed.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).

2. (US) to take responsibility for a difficult task.

1960, 1975		Wentworth & Flexner DAS.
2020		B. Dempski et al. Dalko 27: In spite of Barrows’s passing and Dalkowski’s ability to ‘carry the mail,’ New Britain lost.

3. (Aus.) to stand a round of drinks [the ‘delivery’ of the drinks].

1900–10		Stephens & O’Brien Materials for a Dict. of Aus. Sl. [unpub. ms.] 39: CARRYING THE MAIL: Northern rivers of New South Wales – standing treat or shouting for drinks. The man who pays is said to carry the mail.
1945		Baker Aus. Lang.
1955		N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 231/2: carry the mail – to shout, that is, to stand drinks.

(Aus., Northern Terr.) of a wife, to dominate her husband.

1951

E. Hill Territory 443: Carry the stockwhip, to: To be the boss, often applied to dominating wives.

1. to be depressed.

1938		D. Runyon ‘For a Pal’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 569: Yid and Benny are carrying no weight in this respect.
1944		P. Kendall Dict. Service Sl. n.p.: carrying a heavy load . . . melancholy, depressed.
1956		S. Longstreet Real Jazz Old and New 148: Carrying weight is a load of the blues [W&F].

2. to take responsibility.

1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks 19/1: Carrying the weight, an inmate who is the only member of a group equally guilty brought to trial and convicted (prison).
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 232: carry weight 1. Possess influence. 2. Possess strength of character. 3. Possess impressive knowledge.
1989		in G. Tremlett Little Legs 91: They’ve got to do the bird, carry the weight, and change the nappies.
2000		W.D. Myers ‘A Story in Three Parts’ in 145th Street 126: ‘She got to get a scholarship to get into this school she wants to make up in Boston, man.’ You can’t carry the weight?’ Big Time asked.

to be very drunk.

1770		Gent.’s Mag. Dec. 560/1: To express the condition of an Honest Fellow [...] under the Effects of good Fellowship, [...] it is also said that he has 59. Got more than he can carry.
1900		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Belinda to the Bench’ Sporting Times 13 Oct. 1/4: He’d had more than he could carry, and was blind, or nearly so.
1933		‘William Juniper’ True Drunkard’s Delight 224: It is also said, that he [...] got more than he can carry.

a general excl. of disbelief and displeasure.

1857		N&Q 16 May 387/2: Carry me out and bury me decently. Do any of your correspondents recollect to have heard this phrase? [F&H].
1861		T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxford (1880) 498: And so the president comes out to see the St. Ambrose boat row? Seldom misses two nights running. Then ‘carry me out, and bury me decently’.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1899		R. Whiteing No. 5 John Street 213: Oh carry me out, an’ let me die!
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 185/1: from ca. 1780.

(W.I.) get out! go away!

1996

Allsopp Dict. Carib. Eng. Usage.