carry on

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Word: Carry On

Basic Meaning: "Carry on" is a phrasal verb that can mean several things depending on the context. It can mean to continue doing something, to misbehave, or to maintain a certain condition or tradition.

Usage Instructions:

1. To Continue Doing Something: When you want to express that someone should keep doing what they are doing, you can use "carry on."

   • Example: "Even though it was raining, we decided to carry on with our picnic."

2. To Misbehave: If someone is acting in a silly or improper way, you can use "carry on" to describe that behavior.

   • Example: "The children were carrying on in the back seat of the car, making it difficult for their parents to drive."

3. To Maintain or Preserve: You can use "carry on" when talking about keeping a tradition or maintaining something.

   • Example: "They decided to carry on their grandparents' tradition of making homemade cookies for the holidays."

Advanced Usage:

In more formal contexts, "carry on" can be used to refer to managing or controlling a situation. - Example: "She learned how to carry on the family business after her father retired."

Word Variants:

• Carried on: Past tense of carry on.

  • Example: "He carried on with his studies despite the challenges."

• Carrying on: Present participle form.

  • Example: "They are carrying on a conversation in the garden."

Different Meanings:

1. To Continue: As mentioned, this is the most common usage.
2. To Misbehave: This is a more informal or colloquial use of the term.
3. To Manage or Control: Can be used in a business or organizational context.

Synonyms:

• Continue
• Persist
• Maintain
• Engage in (when referring to activities)

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• Carry on like a pork chop: This is an idiom meaning to behave in a very silly or exaggerated way.

  • Example: "He was carrying on like a pork chop when he lost the game."

• Carry on with: This can imply continuing with a particular task or activity.

  • Example: "Please carry on with your work while I make some phone calls."

Summary:

"Carry on" is a versatile phrase used to express continuation, misbehavior, or the maintenance of traditions.

Academic

Verb

1. misbehave badly; act in a silly or improper way
   • The children acted up when they were not bored
2. continue talking
   • I know it's hard, he continued, but there is no choice
   • carry on--pretend we are not in the room
3. keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
   • preserve the peace in the family
   • continue the family tradition
   • Carry on the old traditions
4. direct the course of; manage or control
   • You cannot conduct business like this

Synonyms

• act up
• continue
• go on
• proceed
• uphold
• bear on
• preserve
• conduct
• deal