carry\ on

I. v

1. To work at; be busy with; manage.

Bill and his father carried on a hardware business.

Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith carried on a long correspondence with each other.

2. To keep doing as before; continue.

After his father died, Bill carried on with the business.

The colonel told the soldiers to carry on while he was gone.

Though tired and hungry, the Scouts carried on until they reached camp.

Compare: bear up(2), go on

3a. informal To behave in a noisy, foolish, and troublesome manner.

The boys carried on in the swimming pool until the lifeguard ordered them out.

3b. informal To make too great a show of feeling, such as anger, grief, and pain.

John carried on for ten minutes after he hit his thumb with the hammer.

Compare: take on(4)

4. informal To act in an immoral or scandalous way; act disgracefully.

The townspeople said that he was carrying on with a neighbor girl.

II. v

1. To cause death of; kill.

Years ago smallpox carried off hundreds of Indians of the Sioux tribe.

Compare: wipe out

2. To succeed in winning.

Bob carried off honors in science.

Jim carried off two gold medals in the track meet.

3. To succeed somewhat unexpectedly in.

The spy planned to deceive the enemy soldiers and carried it off very well.

In the class play, Lloyd carried off his part surprisingly well.