carry off
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To kill in large numbers; to cause the death of many. This meaning emphasizes causing widespread death, often from disease or disaster.
- To remove or take away, especially by force or suddenly. This can refer to physical removal to another place or an abstract removal into a different emotional or mental state.
- To accomplish successfully; to achieve something, especially something difficult or against expectations.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- The epidemic carried off thousands in the city. (It killed thousands.)
- The floodwaters carried off several cars. (It physically removed them.)
- She was carried off by the beautiful music. (It transported her emotionally.)
- It was a risky plan, but they carried it off perfectly. (They succeeded in executing it.)
Advanced Usage
- "to carry it off": to succeed in doing something difficult, often with style or confidence, making it seem easy.
- He was nervous about the speech, but he carried it off with charm.
- The phrase often implies overcoming an obstacle or challenge to achieve the success.
Variants and Related Words
- Carry away (phrasal verb): Often used similarly for the emotional/mental transport meaning (e.g., ). "Carry off" can sometimes be more literal or final.
- Pull off (phrasal verb): A close synonym for the "succeed" meaning.
Synonyms
- Exterminate, wipe out: (for the "kill" meaning).
- Remove, transport, bear away: (for the "take away" meaning).
- Achieve, accomplish, execute, pull off: (for the "succeed" meaning).
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Carry away: To cause someone to lose self-control or become overly excited.
- The crowd was carried away by the excitement.
- Carry out: To perform or complete a task, duty, or order.
- They carried out the instructions carefully.
Related Idioms
- Carry the day: To be victorious or successful.
- Their compelling argument carried the day.
- Carry a tune: To sing correctly.
- He can't carry a tune to save his life.
Verb
- kill in large numbers
- the plague wiped out an entire population
- remove from a certain place, environment, or mental or emotional state; transport into a new location or state
- Their dreams carried the Romantics away into distant lands
- The car carried us off to the meeting
- I'll take you away on a holiday
- I got carried away when I saw the dead man and I started to cry
- be successful; achieve a goal
- She succeeded in persuading us all
- I managed to carry the box upstairs
- She pulled it off, even though we never thought her capable of it
- The pianist negociated the difficult runs