[can’t help but]{informal} also {formal} [cannot but] {v. phr.} To be forced to; can only; must. •/When the streets are full of melting snow, you can’t help but get your shoes wet./ •/When a friend gave Jim a ticket to the game, he couldn’t help but go./ •/When a close friend dies, you cannot but feel sad./ Compare: CAN HELP, HAVE TO.

[can’t make an omelette without breaking (some) eggs] To achieve a certain goal one must sometimes incur damage, experience difficulties, or make sacrifices. — A proverb. •/When we drove across the country, we put a lot of mileage on our car and had a flat tire, but it was a pleasant trip. "Well, you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs," my wife said with a smile./

[can’t see the wood for the trees] or [can’t see the woods for the trees] or [can’t see the forest for the trees] {v. phr.} To be unable to judge or understand the whole because of attention to the parts; criticize small things and not see the value or the aim of the future achievement. •/Teachers sometimes notice language errors and do not see the good ideas in a composition; they cannot see the woods for the trees./ •/The voters defeated a bond issue for the new school because they couldn’t see the forest for the trees; they thought of their taxes rather than of their children’s education./ •/We should think of children’s growth in character and understanding more than of their little faults and misdeeds; some of us can’t see the wood for the trees./

[cap] See: FEATHER IN ONE’S CAP, SET ONE’S CAP FOR, PUT ON ONE’S THINKING CAP.

[cap the climax]{v. phr.} To exceed what is already a high point of achievement. •/Sam’s piano recital was great, but Bill’s performance capped the climax./

[card] See: CREDIT CARD, FLASH CARD, HOUSE OF CARDS, IN THE CARDS or ON THE CARDS, LAY ONE’S CARDS ON THE TABLE, PLAY ONE’S CARDS RIGHT, PUT ONE’S CARDS ON THE TABLE, STACK THE CARDS, TRUMP CARD.

[cards stacked against one] See: STACK THE CARDS.

[card up one’s sleeve]{n. phr.}, {informal} Another help, plan, or argument kept back and produced if needed; another way to do something. •/John knew his mother would lend him money if necessary, but he kept that card up his sleeve./ •/Bill always has a card up his sleeve, so when his first plan failed he tried another./ Compare: ACE IN THE HOLE(2).

[care] See: COULDN’T CARE LESS, HAVE A CARE, GIVE A HANG or CARE A HANG, TAKE CARE.

[carpet] See: CALL ON THE CARPET, MAGIC CARPET, ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET.

[car pool]{n.} A group of people who own cars and take turns driving each other to work or on some other regular trip. •/It was John’s father’s week to drive his own car in the car pool./

[carriage trade]{n.}, {literary} Rich or upper class people. •/The hotel is so expensive that only the carriage trade stays there./ •/The carriage trade buys its clothes at the best stores./

[carrot and stick]{n. phr.} The promise of reward and threat of punishment, both at the same time. •/John’s father used the carrot and stick when he talked about his low grades./

[carry] See: CASH-AND-CARRY.

[carry a torch] or [carry the torch] {v. phr.} 1. To show great and unchanging loyalty to a cause or a person. •/Although the others gave up fighting for their rights, John continued to carry the torch./ 2. {informal} To be in love, usually without success or return. •/He is carrying a torch for Anna, even though she is in love with someone else./

[carry a tune]{v. phr.} To sing the right notes without catching any false ones. •/Al is a wonderful fellow, but he sure can’t carry a tune and his singing is a pain to listen to./

[carry away]{v.} To cause very strong feeling; excite or delight to the loss of cool judgment. •/The music carried her away./ •/He let his anger carry him away./ — Often used in the passive, •/She was carried away by the man’s charm./ •/He was carried away by the sight of the flag./

[carry coals to Newcastle]{v. phr.} To do something unnecessary; bring or furnish something of which there is plenty. •/The man who waters his grass after a good rain is carrying coals to Newcastle./ •/Joe was carrying coals to Newcastle when he told the doctor how to cure a cold./ (Newcastle is an English city near many coal mines, and coal is sent out from there to other places.)

[carrying charge]{n.} An extra cost added to the price of something bought on weekly or monthly payments. •/The price of the bicycle was $50. Jim bought it for $5.00 a month for ten months plus a carrying charge of $1 a month./

[carry on]{v.} 1. To cause death of; kill. •/Years ago smallpox carried off hundreds of Indians of the Sioux tribe./ Compare: WIPE OUT. 2. To succeed in winning. •/Bob carried off honors in science./ •/Jim carried off two gold medals in the track meet./ 3. To succeed somewhat unexpectedly in. •/The spy planned to deceive the enemy soldiers and carried it off very well./ •/In the class play, Lloyd carried off his part surprisingly well./

[carry --- off one’s feet] See: KNOCK OFF ONE’S FEET, SWEEP OFF ONE’S FEET.

[carry off the palm] or [bear off the palm] {v. phr.}, {literary} To gain the victory; win. •/John carried off the palm in the tennis championship match./ •/Our army bore off the palm in the battle./ (From the fact that long ago a palm leaf was given to the winner in a game as a sign of victory.)

[carry on]{v.} 1. To work at; be busy with; manage. •/Bill and his father carried on a hardware business./ •/Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith carried on a long correspondence with each other./ 2. To keep doing as before; continue. •/After his father died, Bill carried on with the business./ •/The colonel told the soldiers to carry on while he was gone./ •/Though tired and hungry, the Scouts carried on until they reached camp./ Compare: BEAR UP(2), GO ON. 3a. {informal} To behave in a noisy, foolish, and troublesome manner. •/The boys carried on in the swimming pool until the lifeguard ordered them out./ 3b. {informal} To make too great a show of feeling, such as anger, grief, and pain. •/John carried on for ten minutes after he hit his thumb with the hammer./ Compare: TAKE ON(4). 4. {informal} To act in an immoral or scandalous way; act disgracefully. •/The townspeople said that he was carrying on with a neighbor girl./

[carry one’s cross] or {literary} [bear one’s cross] {v. phr.} To live with pain or trouble; keep on even though you suffer or have trouble. •/Weak ankles are a cross Joe carries while the other boys play basketball./ •/We didn’t know the cheerful woman was bearing her cross, a son in prison./

[carry out]{v.} To put into action; follow; execute. •/The generals were determined to carry out their plans to defeat the enemy./ •/John listened carefully and carried out the teacher’s instructions./

[carry over]{v.} 1. To save for another time. •/The store had some bathing suits it had carried over from last year./ •/What you learn in school should carry over into adult life./ 2. To transfer (as a figure) from one column, page, or book to another. •/When he added up the figures, he carried over the total into the next year’s account book./ 3. To continue in another place. •/The story was carried over to the next page./