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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CARRY, CARRIE, Cary, Cairie, Cair(r)y, Kerry, n.¹ [′kɑrɪ̢, ′kɛrɪ̢]

1. A two-wheeled barrow used for moving short, heavy weights; “the sort of barrow employed in moving harrows from one field to another” (Lth. 1898 E.D.D., carry).Sc. 1820 Caled. Mercury (20 July):
Alexander then asked a loan of her carrie.

2. A (heavy) weight or burden (Abd. 1825 Jam.²). Known to our Abd., Ags., Fif. and Kcb. correspondents (1938).Bnff.² 1938:
Here's a bag o' neeps t' ye; it's been a gey cairry.Ags. 1894 “F. Mackenzie” in People's Friend (9 April) 235/2:
If it werena that it's metal I wad say ye're on the road to finishin' a shepherd's crook. It'll be a heavy carry, I'm thinkin'.Lth. 1925 C. P. Slater Marget Pow 14:
We saw . . . the Coronating chair . . . naething more nor less than a stone the English took from the Scotch folk! . . . It must have been a heavy carry.Rnf. 1935 J. L. Kerr Woman of Glenshiels xiv.:
“You've got a carry there,” he said, nodding to her pack.

3. Employing of a golf-caddy; employment as a golf-caddy.Fif.¹ 1938:
This is a championship round and the carry will cost you five shillings.Lnk. 1928 H. Lauder Roamin' in the Gloamin' 33:
We boys used to meet the golfers at the train and . . . I got my “carries” with the best of them.

4. “The distance the girder of a bridge spans” (Inv. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.).

5. A “lift,” in a vehicle or otherwise (Cai.⁷ (kerry), Abd.¹⁹ 1938).Mry. 1938 (per Abd.⁹):
I heard a boy in Elgin say to a man passing with a horse and cart: “Will ye gie's a carry?”Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 134:
She [a hare] got a guid lang carry [in a sack]!

Comb.: cerry-coad, a ride on someone's shoulders (Bnff. 2000s).Gsw. 1972 Molly Weir Best Foot Forward 1974 pp (34-5) :
The purchasers of the comic papers were cocks of the walk on Saturday mornings, and would often be carried to the shops shoulder high by some penniliess volunteer who would cry, 'Gi'e ye a cerry-coad doon to the shop, if I get first read of your comic efter you've read it yoursel'.' This offer was often taken up, and it was like some Eastern ceremony, with the rich one perched high above the head of his human beast of burden, arms held out to balance himself.

6. “The motion of the clouds. They are said to have a great carry, when they move with velocity before the wind” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; wm.Sc. [1835–1837] Laird of Logan (1868) App. 490, cairie; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 124). In pl.: “fleecy driving clouds” (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., kerries). Known to Bnff.² (cairry), Abd.²², Ags.¹, Fif.¹⁰, Lnk.³, Arg.¹, Kcb.⁹ 1938.Sc. 1896 A. Cheviot Proverbs 394:
When the carry gaes west, Gude weather is past.Mry.(D) 1924 J. C. Austin in Swatches o' Hamespun 78:
The laden carry frae the north Had cled auld Moray lan'.Ags. a.1832 “G.G.” Our old Neighbours (1887) 45:
Wi' that carry on the sky, we'll no sail the night.Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 60:
I min', man, sin' he us't to speel Aboon the carry.Gall.³ c.1867:
“Will it keep up, think ye?” “Maybe, if the carry of the clouds disna change.”Slk. 1831 Hogg Songs 122:
D'ye see yon cloud sae dun, That sails aboon the carry?

7. Extended to mean the sky (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹ 1938). Also fig.Sc. 1818 A. Laing Wayside Flowers (1850) 134:
While e'ening vails the face o' day, An' starries gild the carry, O.Mry.¹ 1925:
There's no a cloud in a' the carry.Ags. 1894 A. Reid Sangs o' the Heatherland 64:
My cairy's fu' o' starnies That beam wi love an' joy.Rnf. 1844 E. Polin in Book Sc. Song (ed. Whitelaw) 96:
Though the cary be dark whiles, There's aye some bit star, Tae keep us reflectin' “It's weel it's nae waur.”