open carry

¹

[ oh-puhn kar-ee ]

noun

1. the practice of publicly carrying a gun or other weapon that is fully or partially visible.

open-carry

²

[ oh-puhn-kar-ee ]

verb (used with or without object)

, o·pen-car·ried, o·pen-car·ry·ing.

1. to openly carry a gun or other weapon in public:

   He open-carried a pistol to his daughter’s school.

Word History and Origins

Origin of open carry¹

First recorded in 1980–85

Origin of open carry²

First recorded in 1985–90; open ( def ) + carry ( def )

Example Sentences

Open-carry activists are known for baiting cops into on-camera arguments about the Second Amendment and state laws.

From The Daily Beast

The NRA supports the open carry of guns in cafes, burrito shops, and the produce aisle.

From The Daily Beast

CJ Grisham, president of Open Carry Texas (OCT), was more forthcoming.

From The Daily Beast

The open carry of firearms in Kroger stores has been a hot topic in the firearms community for several years now.

From The Daily Beast

We can make images of open carry go viral, we can put pressure on through Twitter.

From The Daily Beast