carry-out
noun
carry-out
American
[kar-ee-out]
/ ˈkær iˌaʊt /
Or
carryout
noun
carry out
British
verb
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to perform or cause to be implemented
I wish he could afford to carry out his plan
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to bring to completion; accomplish
noun
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alcohol bought at a pub or off-licence for consumption elsewhere
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hot cooked food bought at a shop or restaurant for consumption elsewhere
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a shop or restaurant that sells such food
we'll get something from the Chinese carry-out
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( as modifier )
a carry-out shop
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carry out
Idioms
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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]
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Put in practice or effect, as in We will carry out the new policy , or Please carry out my instructions . [Mid-1800s]
Usage
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.
Etymology
Origin of carry-out
1965–70, adj. use of verb phrase carry out
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Chicago company plans to carry out the layoffs in the coming months.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
The IMF estimated in 2024 that more than two-thirds of British workers perform tasks that AI could potentially carry out, making the country more exposed than many other advanced economies.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
Those missiles will soon be deployed near the border with South Korea and can carry out an “ultraprecision” strike on any target within roughly 60 miles, state media said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
Nasa wants Blue Origin's lunar lander, called Endurance, to be able to carry out precise landings, as well as autonomous navigation and control.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
She imagined him as a child surrounded by too many brightly colored toys, always being encouraged to carry out “projects,” always being told that his mundane ideas were wonderful.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
