carter

UK: /ˈkɑːtə/ US: (kär′tər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

cart /kɑrt/   n. 

[countable]
1. Transport a two-wheeled vehicle pulled by horses, oxen, etc., and used to carry goods, for farming, etc.
2. Transport any small vehicle pushed or pulled by hand:
   a shopping cart.

v. [~ + object]

3. Transport to haul, as in a cart or truck:
   They carted the old furniture to the dump.
4. cart off or away, to take away (someone unwilling to go): [~ + object + off/away]
   The police carted them off to jail.
   [~ + off/away + object]
   carted away all seven of them to jail.

Idioms

5. Idioms put the cart before the horse, to do or place things in wrong order;
   do things backward.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

Car•ter  (kär′tər), n. 

1. Biographical Bennett Lester (Benny), born 1907, U.S. jazz saxophonist and composer.
2. Biographical Don(ald James), born 1926, U.S. bowler.
3. Biographical Elliott (Cook, Jr.), born 1908, U.S. composer.
Hod•ding  (hod′ing), 1907–72, U.S. journalist and publisher.
4. Ancient History, Biographical Howard, 1873–1939, English Egyptologist.
5. Biographical James Earl, Jr. (Jimmy), born 1924, 39th president of the U.S. 1977–81.
6. Biographical Mrs. Leslie (Caroline Louise Dudley), 1862–1937, U.S. actress.
May•belle  (mā′bel′), ("Mother Maybelle Carter''), 1909–78, U.S. country-and-western singer and guitarist.
7. Literature Nick, pen name of authors who wrote detective-story series in which Nick Carter, created by John R. Coryell, is the main character.
8. a male given name.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

cart  (kärt), n. 

1. Transport a heavy two-wheeled vehicle, commonly without springs, drawn by mules, oxen, or the like, used for the conveyance of heavy goods.
2. Transport a light two-wheeled vehicle with springs, drawn by a horse or pony.
3. Transport any small vehicle pushed or pulled by hand.
4. [Obs.] a chariot.
5. British Terms, Idioms on the water cart, See wagon (def. 12).
6. Idioms put the cart before the horse, to do or place things in improper order;
   be illogical.

v.t. 

7. Transport to haul or convey in or as if in a cart or truck:
   to cart garbage to the dump.

v.i. 

8. Transport to drive a cart.
9. cart off or away, to transport or take away in an unceremonious manner:
   The police came and carted him off to jail.

• bef. 900; Middle English cart(e), Old English cræt (by metathesis); cognate with Old Norse kartr cart

cart′a•ble, adj. 
cart′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Carter / ˈkɑːtə/ noun

1. Angela. 1940–92, British novelist and writer; her novels include The Magic Toyshop (1967) and Nights at the Circus (1984)
2. Elliot (Cook). 1908–2012, US composer. His works include the Piano Sonata (1945–46), four string quartets, and other orchestral pieces: Pulitzer Prize 1960, 1973
3. Howard. 1873–1939, English Egyptologist: excavated the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen
4. James Earl, known as Jimmy. born 1924, US Democratic statesman; 39th president of the US (1977–81); Nobel peace prize 2002