Transport vs. Carry — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 14, 2024
Transport generally involves moving goods or people over distances using vehicles, while carry typically refers to holding and moving something using one's own physical strength.
Difference Between Transport and Carry
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Transport often implies the use of tools or vehicles such as cars, trucks, ships, and planes to move objects or people from one place to another, whereas carry usually means moving something by physically holding it, either in the hands, on the back, or on the shoulder.
Transport can be applied to both animate and inanimate objects and usually involves longer distances, whereas carry is more often used for relatively short distances and mostly with small or manageable loads.
Transport is commonly associated with logistical operations and can include complex scheduling and routing, on the other hand, carry is a more direct and personal action, often spontaneous without the need for planning.
In the context of communication, transport can metaphorically mean the transmission of information or ideas, while carry might refer to the personal conveyance of attitudes or emotions.
Transport services are essential in global trade and economics, playing a pivotal role in supply chains, whereas carry is more about individual or localized tasks, important in everyday activities like shopping or manual labor.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The movement of people or goods via vehicles
Physically holding and moving objects
Scope
Long distances, often global
Short distances, typically within reach
Tools Used
Vehicles like trucks, planes, ships
Human body parts (hands, back)
Associated Fields
Logistics, economics
Personal tasks, manual labor
Usage Context
Business, global trade
Everyday life, personal use
Compare with Definitions
Transport
To move people or goods from one place to another.
The company transports goods across the continent.
Carry
To hold and move an object while walking.
She can carry heavy bags from the supermarket.
Transport
In electronics, the movement of electrons or holes.
Semiconductor devices transport charge carriers.
Carry
To be pregnant with.
She is carrying her first child.
Transport
To transmit or convey ideas or emotions.
Music has the power to transport us to different emotional states.
Carry
To support or sustain.
The bridge can carry heavy loads.
Transport
Historically, to send convicts to a penal colony.
Criminals were transported to Australia in the 18th century.
Carry
In finance, to hold as an investment.
He carries an extensive portfolio of stocks.
Transport
In biology, the process of moving substances across cell membranes.
Active transport requires energy to move molecules.
Carry
To convey an emotion or impression.
His voice carried a tone of urgency.
Transport
Transport (BE) or transportation (AE) is the movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. In other words, the action of transport is defined as a particular movement of an organism or thing from a point A (a place in space) to a point B. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, and space.
Carry
To hold or support while moving; bear
Carried the baby in my arms.
Carrying a heavy backpack.
Transport
Take or carry (people or goods) from one place to another by means of a vehicle, aircraft, or ship
The bulk of freight traffic was transported by lorry
Carry
To move or take from one place to another; transport
A train carrying freight.
A courier carrying messages.
Transport
Overwhelm (someone) with a strong emotion, especially joy
She was transported with pleasure
Carry
Chiefly Southern US To escort or accompany.
Transport
A system or means of conveying people or goods from place to place
Air transport
Many possess their own forms of transport
Carry
To serve as a means for the conveyance of; transmit
Pipes that carry waste water.
A bridge that carries traffic between the two cities.
Transport
An overwhelmingly strong emotion
Art can send people into transports of delight
Carry
To communicate; pass on
The news was carried by word of mouth to every settlement.
Transport
To move or carry (goods, for example) from one place to another; convey.
Carry
To express or contain
Harsh words that carried a threat of violence.
Transport
To cause to feel strong emotion, especially joy; carry away; enrapture.
Carry
To have (something) on the surface or skin; bear
Carries scars from acne.
Transport
To send abroad to a penal colony; deport.
Carry
To hold or be capable of holding
The tank carries 16 gallons when full.
Transport
The act of transporting; conveyance.
Carry
To support (a weight or responsibility).
Transport
The condition of being transported by emotion; joy or rapture.
Carry
To support the weight or responsibility of
A beam that carries the floor.
A student who carries a heavy course load.
Transport
A ship or aircraft used to transport troops or military equipment.
Carry
To keep or have on one's person
Stopped carrying credit cards.
Transport
A vehicle, such as an aircraft, used to transport passengers, mail, or freight.
Carry
To be pregnant with (offspring).
Transport
The system of transporting passengers or goods in a particular country or area.
Carry
To hold and move (the body or a part of it) in a particular way
Carried her head proudly.
Transport
The vehicles, such as buses and trains, used in such a system.
Carry
To behave or conduct (oneself) in a specified manner.
Transport
A deported convict.
Carry
To extend or continue in space, time, or degree
Carried the line to the edge of the page.
Carry a joke too far.
Transport
To carry or bear from one place to another; to remove; to convey.
To transport goods; to transport troops
Carry
To give impetus to; propel
The wind carried the ball over the fence.
Transport
(historical) To deport to a penal colony.
Carry
To take further; advance
Carry a cause.
Transport
(figuratively) To move (someone) to strong emotion; to carry away.
Music transports the soul.
Carry
To take or seize, especially by force; capture.
Transport
An act of transporting; conveyance.
Carry
To be successful in; win
Lost the game but carried the match.
Transport
The state of being transported by emotion; rapture.
Carry
To gain victory, support, or acceptance for
The motion was carried in a close vote.
Transport
A vehicle used to transport (passengers, mail, freight, troops etc.)
Carry
To win a majority of the votes in
Roosevelt carried all but two states in the 1936 presidential election.
Transport
(Canada) A tractor-trailer.
Carry
To gain the sympathy of; win over
The amateurs' enthusiasm carried the audience.
Transport
The system of transporting passengers, etc. in a particular region; the vehicles used in such a system.
Carry
To include or keep on a list
Carried a dozen workers on the payroll.
Transport
A device that moves recording tape across the read/write heads of a tape recorder or video recorder etc.
Carry
To have as an attribute or accompaniment
An appliance carrying a full-year guarantee.
Transport
(historical) A deported convict.
Carry
To involve as a condition, consequence, or effect
The crime carried a five-year sentence.
Transport
To carry or bear from one place to another; to remove; to convey; as, to transport goods; to transport troops.
Carry
(Physics) To possess (an intrinsic property, such as color charge) or convey (a force) that governs particle interactions.
Transport
To carry, or cause to be carried, into banishment, as a criminal; to banish.
Carry
To transfer from one place, as a column, page, or book, to another
Carry a number in addition.
Transport
To carry away with vehement emotion, as joy, sorrow, complacency, anger, etc.; to ravish with pleasure or ecstasy; as, music transports the soul.
[They] laugh as if transported with some fitOf passion.
We shall then be transported with a nobler . . . wonder.
Carry
To keep in stock; offer for sale
A store that carries a full line of electronic equipment.
Transport
Transportation; carriage; conveyance.
The Romans . . . stipulated with the Carthaginians to furnish them with ships for transport and war.
Carry
To keep in one's accounts as a debtor
Carried the unemployed customer for 90 days.
Transport
A vessel employed for transporting, especially for carrying soldiers, warlike stores, or provisions, from one place to another, or to convey convicts to their destination; - called also transport ship, transport vessel.
Carry
To maintain or support (one that is weaker or less competent, for example).
Transport
Vehement emotion; passion; ecstasy; rapture.
With transport views the airy rule his own,And swells on an imaginary throne.
Say not, in transports of despair,That all your hopes are fled.
Carry
To compensate for (a weaker member or partner) by one's performance.
Transport
A convict transported, or sentenced to exile.
Carry
To place before the public; print or broadcast
The morning papers carried the story. The press conference was carried by all networks.
Transport
Something that serves as a means of transportation
Carry
To produce as a crop.
Transport
An exchange of molecules (and their kinetic energy and momentum) across the boundary between adjacent layers of a fluid or across cell membranes
Carry
To provide forage for (livestock)
Land that carries sheep.
Transport
The commercial enterprise of transporting goods and materials
Carry
To sing (a melody, for example) on key
Carry a tune.
Transport
A state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion;
Listening to sweet music in a perfect rapture
Carry
(Nautical) To be equipped with (a mast or sail).
Transport
A mechanism that transport magnetic tape across the read/write heads of a tape playback/recorder
Carry
To cover (a distance) or advance beyond (a point or object) in one golf stroke.
Transport
Move something or somebody around; usually over long distances
Carry
To control and advance (a ball or puck).
Transport
Move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body;
You must carry your camping gear
Carry the suitcases to the car
This train is carrying nuclear waste
These pipes carry waste water into the river
Carry
(Basketball) To palm (the ball) in violation of the rules.
Transport
Hold spellbound
Carry
To act as a bearer
Teach a dog to fetch and carry.
Transport
Transport commercially
Carry
To be transmitted or conveyed
A voice that carries well.
Transport
Send from one person or place to another;
Transmit a message
Carry
To admit of being transported
Unbalanced loads do not carry easily.
Carry
To hold the neck and head in a certain way. Used of a horse.
Carry
To be accepted or approved
The proposal carried by a wide margin.
Carry
The act or process of carrying.
Carry
A portage, as between two navigable bodies of water.
Carry
(Football) An act of running with the ball on an offensive play from scrimmage
A carry of six yards.
Carry
The range of a gun or projectile.
Carry
The distance traveled by a hurled or struck ball.
Carry
Reach; projection
"a voice that had far more carry to it than at any time in the term thus far" (Jimmy Breslin).
Carry
(transitive) To lift (something) and take it to another place; to transport (something) by lifting.
Carry
(transitive) To notionally transfer from one place (such as a country, book, or column) to another.
To carry the war from Greece into Asia
To carry an account to the ledger
Carry
(transitive) To convey by extension or continuance; to extend.
The builders are going to carry the chimney through {{the roof.
}} They would have carried the road ten miles further, but ran out of materials.
Carry
To move; to convey using force
Carry
(transitive) To lead or guide.
Carry
(transitive) To stock or supply (something); to have in store.
The corner drugstore doesn't carry his favorite brand of aspirin.
Carry
(transitive) To adopt (something); take (something) over.
I think I can carry Smith's work while she is out.
Carry
(transitive) To adopt or resolve on, especially in a deliberative assembly
The court carries that motion.
Carry
In an addition, to transfer the quantity in excess of what is countable in the units in a column to the column immediately to the left in order to be added there.
Five and nine are fourteen; carry the one to the tens place.
Carry
(transitive) To have, hold, possess or maintain (something).
Always carry sufficient insurance to protect against a loss.
Carry
(intransitive) To be transmitted; to travel.
The sound of the bells carried for miles on the wind.
Carry
To insult, to diss.
Carry
To capture a ship by coming alongside and boarding.
Carry
To transport (the ball) whilst maintaining possession.
Carry
(transitive) To have on one's person.
She always carries a purse;
Marsupials carry their young in a pouch
Carry
To be pregnant (with).
The doctor said she's carrying twins.
Carry
To have propulsive power; to propel.
A gun or mortar carries well.
Carry
To hold the head; said of a horse.
To carry well, i.e. to hold the head high, with arching neck
Carry
(hunting) To have earth or frost stick to the feet when running, as a hare.
Carry
To bear or uphold successfully through conflict, for example a leader or principle
Carry
To succeed in (e.g. a contest); to succeed in; to win.
The Tories carried the election.
Carry
(obsolete) To get possession of by force; to capture.
Carry
To contain; to comprise; have a particular aspect; to show or exhibit
Carry
(reflexive) To bear (oneself); to behave or conduct.
Carry
To bear the charges or burden of holding or having, as stocks, merchandise, etc., from one time to another.
A merchant is carrying a large stock;
A farm carries {{a mortgage;
}} a broker carries stock for {{a customer;
}} to carry a life insurance.
Carry
(intransitive) To have a weapon on one's person; to be armed.
Carry
(gaming) To be disproportionately responsible for a team's success.
He absolutely carried the game, to the point of killing the entire enemy team by himself.
Carry
(Southern US) to physically transport (in the general sense, not necessarily by lifting)
Will you carry me to town?
Carry
(North America) To bear a firearm, such as a gun.
A holster can help you carry in confidence, knowing that your weapon is secure and close at hand.
Carry
A manner of transporting or lifting something; the grip or position in which something is carried.
Adjust your carry from time to time so that you don't tire too quickly.
Carry
A tract of land over which boats or goods are carried between two bodies of navigable water; a portage.
Carry
(computing) The bit or digit that is carried in an addition operation.
Carry
(finance) The benefit or cost of owning an asset over time.
The carry on this trade is 25 basis points per annum.
Carry
(golf) The distance travelled by the ball when struck, until it hits the ground.
Carry
(finance) Carried interest.
Carry
The sky; cloud-drift.
Carry
To convey or transport in any manner from one place to another; to bear; - often with away or off.
When he dieth he shall carry nothing away.
Devout men carried Stephen to his burial.
Another carried the intelligence to Russell.
The sound will be carried, at the least, twenty miles.
Carry
To have or hold as a burden, while moving from place to place; to have upon or about one's person; to bear; as, to carry a wound; to carry an unborn child.
If the ideas . . . were carried along with us in our minds.
Carry
To move; to convey by force; to impel; to conduct; to lead or guide.
Go, carry Sir John Falstaff to the Fleet.
He carried away all his cattle.
Passion and revenge will carry them too far.
Carry
To transfer from one place (as a country, book, or column) to another; as, to carry the war from Greece into Asia; to carry an account to the ledger; to carry a number in adding figures.
Carry
To convey by extension or continuance; to extend; as, to carry the chimney through the roof; to carry a road ten miles farther.
Carry
To bear or uphold successfully through conflict, as a leader or principle; hence, to succeed in, as in a contest; to bring to a successful issue; to win; as, to carry an election.
The carrying of our main point.
Carry
To get possession of by force; to capture.
The town would have been carried in the end.
Carry
To contain; to comprise; to bear the aspect of ; to show or exhibit; to imply.
He thought it carried something of argument in it.
It carries too great an imputation of ignorance.
Carry
To bear (one's self); to behave, to conduct or demean; - with the reflexive pronouns.
He carried himself so insolently in the house, and out of the house, to all persons, that he became odious.
Carry
To bear the charges or burden of holding or having, as stocks, merchandise, etc., from one time to another; as, a merchant is carrying a large stock; a farm carries a mortgage; a broker carries stock for a customer; to carry a life insurance.
Carry
To act as a bearer; to convey anything; as, to fetch and carry.
Carry
To have propulsive power; to propel; as, a gun or mortar carries well.
Carry
To hold the head; - said of a horse; as, to carry well i. e., to hold the head high, with arching neck.
Carry
To have earth or frost stick to the feet when running, as a hare.
Carry
A tract of land, over which boats or goods are carried between two bodies of navigable water; a carrying place; a portage.
Carry
The act of carrying something
Carry
Move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body;
You must carry your camping gear
Carry the suitcases to the car
This train is carrying nuclear waste
These pipes carry waste water into the river
Carry
Have with oneself; have on one's person;
She always takes an umbrella
I always carry money
She packs a gun when she goes into the mountains
Carry
Transmit or serve as the medium for transmission;
Sound carries well over water
The airwaves carry the sound
Many metals conduct heat
Carry
Serve as a means for expressing something;
The painting of Mary carries motherly love
His voice carried a lot af anger
Carry
Bear or be able to bear the weight, pressure,or responsibility of;
His efforts carried the entire project
How many credits is this student carrying?
We carry a very large mortgage
Carry
Support or hold in a certain manner;
She holds her head high
He carried himself upright
Carry
Contain or hold; have within;
The jar carries wine
The canteen holds fresh water
This can contains water
Carry
Extend to a certain degree;
Carry too far
She carries her ideas to the extreme
Carry
Continue or extend;
The civil war carried into the neighboring province
The disease extended into the remote mountain provinces
Carry
Be necessarily associated with or result in or involve;
This crime carries a penalty of five years in prison
Carry
Win in an election;
The senator carried his home state
Carry
Include, as on a list;
How many people are carried on the payroll?
Carry
Behave in a certain manner;
She carried herself well
He bore himself with dignity
They conducted themselves well during these difficult times
Carry
Have on hand;
Do you carry kerosene heaters?
Carry
Include as the content; broadcast or publicize;
We ran the ad three times
This paper carries a restaurant review
All major networks carried the press conference
Carry
Propel,
Carry the ball
Dribble the ball
Carry
Pass on a communication;
The news was carried to every village in the province
Carry
Have as an inherent or characteristic feature or have as a consequence;
This new washer carries a two year guarantee
The loan carries a high interest rate
This undertaking carries many dangers
She carries her mother's genes
These bonds carry warrants
The restaurant carries an unusual name
Carry
Be conveyed over a certain distance;
Her voice carries very well in this big opera house
Carry
Keep up with financial support;
The Federal Government carried the province for many years
Carry
Have or possess something abstract;
I carry her image in my mind's eye
I will carry the secret to my grave
I carry these thoughts in the back of my head
I carry a lot of life insurance
Carry
Win approval or support for;
Carry all before one
His speech did not sway the voters
Carry
Compensate for a weaker partner or member by one's own performance;
I resent having to carry her all the time
Carry
Take further or advance;
Carry a cause
Carry
Have on the surface or on the skin;
Carry scars
Carry
Capture after a fight;
The troops carried the town after a brief fight
Carry
Transfer (entries) from one account book to another
Carry
Transfer (a number, cipher, or remainder) to the next column or unit's place before or after, in addition or multiplication;
Put down 5 and carry 2
Carry
Pursue a line of scent or be a bearer;
The dog was taught to fetch and carry
Carry
Bear (a crop);
This land does not carry olives
Carry
Propel or give impetus to;
The sudden gust of air propelled the ball to the other side of the fence
Carry
Drink alcohol without showing ill effects;
He can hold his liquor
He had drunk more than he could carry
Carry
Be able to feed;
This land will carry ten cows to the acre
Carry
Have a certain range;
This rifle carries for 3,000 feet
Carry
Cover a certain distance or advance beyond;
The drive carried to the green
Carry
Secure the passage or adoption (of bills and motions);
The motion carried easily
Carry
Be successful in;
She lost the game but carried the match
Carry
Sing or play against other voices or parts;
He cannot carry a tune
Carry
Be pregnant with;
She is bearing his child
The are expecting another child in January
I am carrying his child
Common Curiosities
Can transport be used for short distances?
Yes, but it typically involves some form of vehicle even for short distances.
Is carrying always done by hand?
Mostly, but it can also involve carrying something on the back or with other parts of the body.
How do the terms apply in technology?
Transport in technology might refer to data transmission, whereas carry doesn't typically have a technological connotation.
Is there a limit to what one can carry by hand?
Yes, what one can carry by hand is limited by their physical strength and the size of the object.
What is the primary difference between transport and carry?
Transport typically involves vehicles and long distances, while carry involves physical effort and short distances.
Can animals be involved in transport or carrying?
Yes, animals like horses and camels are used for carrying loads or people, especially in regions where vehicles are impractical.
Do the terms have different connotations in professional contexts?
Yes, transport is often used in a professional or logistical context, while carry is more personal.
What is the economic impact of transport as compared to carrying?
Transport has a major economic impact as it is integral to trade and the supply chain, while carrying has more localized economic implications.
What types of transport are most efficient for international trade?
Shipping by sea and air freight are most commonly used for international trade due to their capacity and speed for long distances.
What skills are necessary for effective transport management?
Skills like logistics planning, route management, and regulatory compliance are crucial for effective transport management.
What are typical vehicles used for transport?
Common transport vehicles include cars, trucks, trains, ships, and airplanes.
Are there legal regulations that specifically apply to transport but not to carrying?
Yes, transport activities are heavily regulated with laws covering vehicle safety, emissions, and transport of hazardous materials, unlike simple carrying tasks.
How do the terms transport and carry apply in medical contexts?
In medical contexts, transport refers to moving patients or medical supplies, while carry might refer to the physical movement of small equipment or patient support by medical staff.
How do environmental factors affect transport and carrying?
Environmental factors like weather can significantly impact transport, particularly air and sea travel, while carrying is less affected unless conditions are extreme.
Can both terms be used metaphorically? If so, how?
Yes, both can be used metaphorically. Transport can describe the movement of feelings or ideas across people, while carry might describe someone sustaining an emotional burden.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
