carry-out

Or car·ry·out

[kar-ee-out]

noun

1. takeout.

carry out

verb

1. to perform or cause to be implemented

   I wish he could afford to carry out his plan

2. to bring to completion; accomplish

noun

1. alcohol bought at a pub or off-licence for consumption elsewhere

2. 1. hot cooked food bought at a shop or restaurant for consumption elsewhere

   2. a shop or restaurant that sells such food

      we'll get something from the Chinese carry-out

   3. ( as modifier )

      a carry-out shop

Word History and Origins

Origin of carry out¹

1965–70, adj. use of verb phrase carry out

Idioms and Phrases

Accomplish, bring to a conclusion, as in They carried out the mission successfully . Shakespeare had this term in King Lear (5:1): “And hardly shall I carry out my side, Her husband being alive.” [Late 1500s]

Put in practice or effect, as in We will carry out the new policy , or Please carry out my instructions . [Mid-1800s]

Related Words

• accomplish 
• achieve 
• execute 
• finalize 
• implement 
• perform 
• realize 

When To Use

What does carry-out mean?

Carry-out (or carryout) refers to food or drinks picked up from a restaurant or other place to be consumed elsewhere, typically at home. It can also refer to the place where you get it, though this is less common unless it’s used as an adjective, as in carry-out place or carry-out service.In the U.S., this is also called takeout. In the U.K., it’s called takeaway. Other terms that are often used to describe such services are pick-up and to-go.The term carry-out is based on the phrasal verb carry out, literally meaning to carry something out of a place, like you’d carry the pizza out of the pizzeria. (As a verb, carry out also has other meanings.)Example: I don’t feel like cooking tonight—let’s just get carry-out from the taco place on the way home.