A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

carry-on (UK) • carry-on (U.S.)
carry-on (UK)—(coll., also: carrying-on) annoying unwise
or overexcited behavior: We were all engaged for a radio ver-
sion of Hamlet…. I had never realized the incredible carry-
on connected with these productions.
carry-on (U.S.)—(also: carry-on baggage) luggage that can
be carried aboard an aircraft, bus, or train: I always take some
cigars in my carry-on and pack some others in checked lug-
gage.
carry on at someone • carry on with someone
carry on at someone —complain noisily to a person: He was
carrying on at me in a most unpleasant way.
carry on with someone —flirt with smb.; have an affair with
a person: I heard she was carrying on with a married man.
carry one’s age • hold the age
carry one’s age —look well for one’s age: O’donnell found
satisfaction in the thought that the other man didn’t carry his
age as well as he himself did.
hold the age —(U.S. coll.) be in a position of control because
one has greater power (also: have the age): How could I talk
when he was talking? He “held the age” as the poker players
say.
carry one’s weight • carry weight
carry one’s weight—do one’s share of the work: We can re-
arrange our workload anyway we want. Bottom line — we are
all going to have to carry our weight. Cf.: carry the weight of
the world on one’s shoulders — be burdened with too many prob-
lems: He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.
That’s bound to get a guy down, no matter how strong he is.
carry weight—be respected and have influence: I don’t carry
much weight around here, but Walter does.
See also: carry a load / carry the load.
carry out an execution • do execution
carry out an execution— carry out punishment by death on
a person: Colleagues fear her killing was an extrajudicial exe-
cution carried out by the security forces.
do execution —(dated, of weapons) have a massive destructive
effect: The schooners opened a heavy cannonade upon the
enemy, which did great execution.