Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To transfer or extend something from one time period to a subsequent one: This refers to moving a quantity, a balance, a topic, or an effect so it applies to a later date or period.
   • To keep and offer for sale in a later season: This refers specifically to retaining unsold merchandise for sale in a future selling period.
   • To transport or convey from one place or state to another: This is a more general, often figurative, sense of moving something across a boundary.
   • To persist or be transferred from one stage or sphere of activity to another: This describes how a quality, habit, or consequence continues into a new phase or area.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • You can carry over up to 5 vacation days to next year. (Transfer from one time period to another)
  • The store will carry over these winter coats and sell them next season. (Hold goods for next season)
  • His enthusiasm for learning was carried over from childhood into his adult career. (Persist from one stage to another)
  • The committee agreed to carry over the unresolved discussion to the next meeting. (Transfer a topic to a later time)

Advanced Usage

• Accounting/Finance: "Carry over" often refers to bringing a budget surplus or deficit, or tax losses, into a new fiscal year.
  • The company had significant losses it could carry over to offset future profits.
• Psychology/Behavior: Describes how traits or experiences influence later behavior.
  • Negative emotions from work can sometimes carry over into family life.

Variants and Related Words

• Carryover (noun): Something that is carried over.
  • The fund balance includes a carryover from last year's budget.
• Carried-forward: A synonym often used in accounting contexts.

Synonyms

• Transfer
• Postpone (specifically for time)
• Continue
• Extend

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Carry forward: Very similar to "carry over," especially used in accounting and project management.
  • We will carry forward this task to the next sprint.
• Hold over: Can be a synonym for postponing or retaining.

Related Idioms

• Carry over into: Used to describe the influence or continuation of something into a new domain.
  • The discipline from his sports training carried over into his academic studies.

Verb

1. transfer from one time period to the next
2. hold over goods to be sold for the next season
3. transport from one place or state to another
   • Adam would have been carried over into the life eternal
4. transfer or persist from one stage or sphere of activity to another