carriers
carriers — noun
- carrierssingular
- carriersesplural
1. a business that owns and runs a fleet of aircraft to fly passengers and cargo be
a business that owns and runs a fleet of aircraft to fly passengers and cargo between airports
Elena chose a budget carrier for her direct flight to Lisbon because the tickets were half the usual price.
budget carrier — a low-cost airline
The Japanese carrier announced three new routes linking Tokyo to smaller cities across Southeast Asia.
Gabriel missed his connection because the carrier moved the departure gate without making an announcement.
Several European carriers have stopped serving that regional airport since fuel prices began to rise.
Asher spent an hour comparing four different carriers before he found the cheapest ticket to Nairobi.
- airline
the everyday word; warmer and more consumer-friendly than 'carrier'
- air carrier
a legal and regulatory term used in official documents
- aviation company
broader term that may include cargo-only or charter operations
文法句型
[adjective] + carrier
用法筆記
More formal than 'airline' and common in news reports, legal documents, and industry writing. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say 'airline' or simply name the company.
2. someone or something whose role is to take people, goods, or messages from one p
someone or something whose role is to take people, goods, or messages from one place to another
Indra worked as a water carrier, walking six miles each morning to fill the village tanks.
water carrier — a person who transports water as a daily job
The wooden cart served as a reliable carrier for heavy sacks of grain at the riverside market.
Camille hired a carrier to move the old wardrobe from her grandmother's house to the city.
Bao trained his donkey to be a carrier of fresh vegetables down the steep mountain path.
The postal carrier dropped three thick envelopes through the letter box before noon.
文法句型
carrier + of + noun
用法筆記
The most general sense of 'carrier.' It covers people (a postal carrier), animals (a pack donkey), and objects (a cart or tray). When the context is clear, more specific words like 'porter,' 'courier,' or 'conveyor' are often preferred.
3. used in compound nouns to refer to a military vehicle that transports soldiers,
used in compound nouns to refer to a military vehicle that transports soldiers, weapons, or other vehicles (e.g. troop carrier, missile carrier)
The soldiers jumped out of the armoured personnel carrier and took cover behind a low stone wall.
armoured personnel carrier — a protected military vehicle for transporting troops
A troop carrier rumbled through the checkpoint carrying twenty soldiers and their heavy equipment.
troop carrier — a vehicle or aircraft that transports groups of soldiers
The museum displayed an old infantry carrier from the Second World War, its metal sides dented and scarred.
Selim watched a news report showing a missile carrier being loaded onto a cargo plane at the airbase.
Engineers designed a new amphibious carrier that could move tanks directly from ship to shore.
- transport vehicle
a broader, less military-specific term
- armoured vehicle
emphasises the protective armour rather than the carrying function
文法句型
[noun] + carrier
用法筆記
Always appears as the second element of a compound noun: 'troop carrier,' 'missile carrier,' 'personnel carrier,' etc. It is not used as a standalone word in this sense.
4. a short, informal way of saying 'aircraft carrier' — a very large warship with a
a short, informal way of saying 'aircraft carrier' — a very large warship with an expansive open deck where military planes take off and land
Gita saw the carrier docked at the naval base, its enormous flight deck packed with fighter jets.
informal shortening of 'aircraft carrier' used in news and military speech
The navy sent a carrier to the region after tensions rose between the two neighbouring countries.
Chidi's grandfather served on a carrier in the Pacific during the war and still keeps his old uniform.
A television crew filmed the carrier as helicopters lifted off from its deck in the early morning light.
The government announced plans to build a second carrier to strengthen the country's naval defence forces.
- aircraft carrier
the full, formal term; preferred in writing and official contexts
- warship
a broader category; not all warships carry aircraft
- flat-top
slang used by sailors, very informal
用法筆記
Used mainly in news headlines and military conversation. In formal or academic writing, always use the full term 'aircraft carrier.' Do not confuse with sense 1 (an airline company).
常見錯誤
5. a company that gives customers access to a mobile phone network, allowing them t
a company that gives customers access to a mobile phone network, allowing them to make calls, exchange messages, and go online from their devices
Evelyn switched to a different carrier after she kept losing phone signal inside her apartment building.
switch carriers — change from one mobile service provider to another
The carrier offered a family plan with unlimited data and free calls between its own numbers.
Ignacio checked three carriers online before picking the one with the strongest coverage in his area.
Lisa received a text from her carrier warning that she had used almost all of her monthly data allowance.
The new carrier promised faster internet speeds and no extra charges for using a phone while travelling abroad.
- network operator
more technical; used in industry and regulatory writing
- service provider
a broader term that also covers internet and cable TV companies
- telecom company
covers all telecommunications, including landline and broadband
文法句型
[mobile/phone/wireless] + carrier
用法筆記
Common in North American English. In British English, 'mobile network' or 'phone network' is more frequent. In everyday speech, people often say 'my phone company' or name the provider directly.
常見錯誤
6. a strong bag with handles, made of paper or plastic, that a shop gives customers
a strong bag with handles, made of paper or plastic, that a shop gives customers to take home the things they have bought
The shopkeeper handed Camille a sturdy plastic carrier with the bakery's red logo printed on the side.
British English: a carrier bag given to customers at the point of sale
A customer at the checkout had forgotten her cloth bags and had to pay ten pence for a paper carrier.
Ignacio always kept a folded carrier in his backpack in case he stopped at the greengrocer's on his way home.
The supermarket stopped giving out free plastic carriers to encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable bags.
The paper carrier split open on the bus and three tins of soup rolled noisily down the aisle.
- shopping bag
the standard term in American English and widely understood in the UK
- carrier bag
the full British term; slightly more formal than 'carrier' alone
- tote bag
usually a reusable fabric bag with handles, not a disposable shop bag
文法句型
carrier + bag
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, this is called a 'shopping bag.' The full form 'carrier bag' is common in UK speech, but 'carrier' alone is widely understood in context.
常見錯誤
7. an individual or animal that carries an infection or a faulty gene inside their
an individual or animal that carries an infection or a faulty gene inside their body without getting sick, yet can still transmit it to other people
The health worker explained that Chidi was a carrier of the gene but would never develop the condition himself.
carrier of + a gene — someone who carries a genetic trait without showing symptoms
A single carrier of the virus can infect dozens of people before showing any sign of illness.
Gita took a blood test to find out whether she was a carrier of the inherited blood disorder.
Public health teams traced the outbreak back to one carrier who had travelled through three major cities.
The doctor told Selim that carriers often pass the condition to their children without ever knowing they have it.
- vector
more technical; usually refers to an insect or animal that transmits disease, e.g. a mosquito
- asymptomatic carrier
a more precise medical term emphasising the lack of symptoms
- transmitter
focuses on the act of passing the disease on, rather than harbouring it
文法句型
carrier + of + disease/condition/gene
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: a disease carrier does not physically transport anything. The word here describes someone who harbours and can transmit an infection or genetic trait. Common in both medical contexts and everyday news about public health.