Anchor definitions

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AN'CHOR, n. [L. anchora; Gr.]
1. An iron instrument for holding a ship or other vessel at rest in water. It is a strong shank, with a ring at one end, to which a cable may be fastened; and with two arms and flukes at the other end, forming a suitable angle with the shank to enter the ground.
In seamen's language, the anchor comes home, when it is dislodged from its bed, so as to drag by the violence of the wind, sea or current.
Foul anchor is when the anchor hooks or is entangled with another anchor, or with a wreck or cable, or when the slack cable is entangled.
The anchor a cock bill, is when it is suspended perpendicularly from the cat head, ready to be let go.
The anchor a peek, is when it is drawn in so tight as to bring the ship directly over it.
The anchor is a trip, or a weigh, when it is just drawn out of the ground, in a perpendicular direction, either by the cable or the buoy-rope.
To back an anchor is to lay down a small anchor ahead of that by which the ship rides, with the cable fastened to the crown of the latter to prevent its coming home.
At anchor is when a ship rides by her anchor. Hence, to lie or ride at anchor.
To cast anchor, or to anchor, is to let go an anchor, to keep a ship at rest.
To weigh anchor is to heave or raise the anchor out of the ground.
Anchors are of different sizes. The principal, and that on which most dependence is placed, is the sheet anchor. Then come the best bower, the small bower, the space anchor, the stream anchor, and the kedge anchor, which is the smallest.
2. In a figurative sense, that which gives stability or security; that on which we place dependence for safety.
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast. Hebrews 6.
3. In architecture, anchors are carved work, somewhat resembling an anchor. It is commonly a part of the ornaments of the boultins of capitals in the Tuscan, Doric and Ionic orders, and on the moldings of cornices.
In heraldry, anchors are emblems of hope.
AN'CHOR, v.t.
1. To place at anchor; to moor; as to anchor a ship.
2. To fix or fasten on; to fix in a stable condition
AN'CHOR, v.i.
1. To cast anchor; to come to anchor; as, our ship anchored off the isle of Wight.
2. To stop; to fix or rest on.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving [syn: anchor, ground tackle]
2: a central cohesive source of support and stability; "faith is his anchor"; "the keystone of campaign reform was the ban on soft money"; "he is the linchpin of this firm" [syn: anchor, mainstay, keystone, backbone, linchpin, lynchpin]
3: a television reporter who coordinates a broadcast to which several correspondents contribute [syn: anchor, anchorman, anchorperson] v
1: fix firmly and stably; "anchor the lamppost in concrete" [syn: anchor, ground]
2: secure a vessel with an anchor; "We anchored at Baltimore" [syn: anchor, cast anchor, drop anchor]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English ancre, from Old English ancor, from Latin anchora, from Greek ankyra; akin to Old English anga hook — more at angle Date: before 12th century 1. a device usually of metal attached to a ship or boat by a cable and cast overboard to hold it in a particular place by means of a fluke that digs into the bottom 2. a reliable or principal support ; mainstay 3. something that serves to hold an object firmly 4. an object shaped like a ship's anchor 5. an anchorman or anchorwoman 6. the member of a team (as a relay team) that competes last 7. a large business (as a department store) that attracts customers and other businesses to a shopping center or mall 8. a fixed object (as a tree or a piton) to which a climber's rope is secured • anchorless adjective II. verb (anchored; anchoring) Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. to hold in place in the water by an anchor <anchor a ship> 2. to secure firmly ; fix <anchor a post in concrete> 3. to act or serve as an anchor for <it is she who is anchoring the rebuilding campaign — G. D. Boone> <anchoring the evening news> intransitive verb 1. to cast anchor 2. to become fixed

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a heavy metal weight used to moor a ship to the sea-bottom or a balloon to the ground. 2 a thing affording stability. 3 a source of confidence. --v. 1 tr. secure (a ship or balloon) by means of an anchor. 2 tr. fix firmly. 3 intr. cast anchor. 4 intr. be moored by means of an anchor. Phrases and idioms: anchor-plate a heavy piece of timber or metal, e.g. as support for suspension-bridge cables. at anchor moored by means of an anchor. cast (or come to) anchor let the anchor down. weigh anchor take the anchor up. Etymology: OE ancor f. L anchora f. Gk agkura

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Anchor An"chor ([a^][ng]"k[~e]r), n. [OE. anker, AS. ancor, oncer, L. ancora, sometimes spelt anchora, fr. Gr. 'a`gkyra, akin to E. angle: cf. F. ancre. See Angle, n.] 1. A iron instrument which is attached to a ship by a cable (rope or chain), and which, being cast overboard, lays hold of the earth by a fluke or hook and thus retains the ship in a particular station. Note: The common anchor consists of a straight bar called a shank, having at one end a transverse bar called a stock, above which is a ring for the cable, and at the other end the crown, from which branch out two or more arms with flukes, forming with the shank a suitable angle to enter the ground. Note: Formerly the largest and strongest anchor was the sheet anchor (hence, Fig., best hope or last refuge), called also waist anchor. Now the bower and the sheet anchor are usually alike. Then came the best bower and the small bower (so called from being carried on the bows). The stream anchor is one fourth the weight of the bower anchor. Kedges or kedge anchors are light anchors used in warping. 2. Any instrument or contrivance serving a purpose like that of a ship's anchor, as an arrangement of timber to hold a dam fast; a contrivance to hold the end of a bridge cable, or other similar part; a contrivance used by founders to hold the core of a mold in place. 3. Fig.: That which gives stability or security; that on which we place dependence for safety. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. --Heb. vi. 19. 4. (Her.) An emblem of hope. 5. (Arch.) (a) A metal tie holding adjoining parts of a building together. (b) Carved work, somewhat resembling an anchor or arrowhead; -- a part of the ornaments of certain moldings. It is seen in the echinus, or egg-and-anchor (called also egg-and-dart, egg-and-tongue) ornament. 6. (Zo["o]l.) One of the anchor-shaped spicules of certain sponges; also, one of the calcareous spinules of certain Holothurians, as in species of Synapta. Anchor ice. See under Ice. Anchor ring. (Math.) Same as Annulus, 2 (b). Anchor stock (Naut.), the crossbar at the top of the shank at right angles to the arms. The anchor comes home, when it drags over the bottom as the ship drifts. Foul anchor, the anchor when it hooks, or is entangled with, another anchor, or with a cable or wreck, or when the slack cable entangled. The anchor is acockbill, when it is suspended perpendicularly from the cathead, ready to be let go. The anchor is apeak, when the cable is drawn in do tight as to bring to ship directly over it. The anchor is atrip, or aweigh, when it is lifted out of the ground. The anchor is awash, when it is hove up to the surface of the water. At anchor, anchored. To back an anchor, to increase the holding power by laying down a small anchor ahead of that by which the ship rides, with the cable fastened to the crown of the latter to prevent its coming home. To cast anchor, to drop or let go an anchor to keep a ship at rest. To cat the anchor, to hoist the anchor to the cathead and pass the ring-stopper. To fish the anchor, to hoist the flukes to their resting place (called the bill-boards), and pass the shank painter. To weigh anchor, to heave or raise the anchor so as to sail away.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Anchor An"chor, n. [OE. anker, ancre, AS. ancra, fr. L. anachoreta. See Anchoret.] An anchoret. [Obs.] --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Anchor An"chor, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Anchored; p. pr. & vb. n. Anchoring.] [Cf. F. ancrer.] 1. To place at anchor; to secure by an anchor; as, to anchor a ship. 2. To fix or fasten; to fix in a stable condition; as, to anchor the cables of a suspension bridge. Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Anchor An"chor, v. i. 1. To cast anchor; to come to anchor; as, our ship (or the captain) anchored in the stream. 2. To stop; to fix or rest. My invention . . . anchors on Isabel. --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(anchors, anchoring, anchored) 1. An anchor is a heavy hooked object that is dropped from a boat into the water at the end of a chain in order to make the boat stay in one place. N-COUNT 2. When a boat anchors or when you anchor it, its anchor is dropped into the water in order to make it stay in one place. We could anchor off the pier... They anchored the boat. VERB: V, V n 3. If you anchor an object somewhere, you fix it to something to prevent it moving from that place. The roots anchor the plant in the earth... The child seat belt was not properly anchored to the car. = tether VERB: V n prep, V-ed 4. The person who anchors a television or radio programme, especially a news programme, is the person who presents it and acts as a link between interviews and reports which come from other places or studios. (mainly AM) Viewers saw him anchoring a five-minute summary of regional news. ...a series of cassettes on the Vietnam War, anchored by Mr. Cronkite. VERB: V n, V-ed 5. The anchor on a television or radio programme, especially a news programme, is the person who presents it. (mainly AM) He worked in the news division of ABC–he was the anchor of its 15-minute evening newscast. N-COUNT 6. If a boat is at anchor, it is floating in a particular place and is prevented from moving by its anchor. PHRASE

Easton's Bible Dictionary

From Acts 27:29, 30, 40, it would appear that the Roman vessels carried several anchors, which were attached to the stern as well as to the prow. The Roman anchor, like the modern one, had two teeth or flukes. In Heb. 6:19 the word is used metaphorically for that which supports or keeps one steadfast in the time of trial or of doubt. It is an emblem of hope.

"If you fear,

Put all your trust in God: that anchor holds."

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

an'-ker. See SHIPS AND BOATS.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Ground tackle (of a ship). 2. Sure protection, security, stay, hold, defence. II. v. a. Secure by anchor, secure, fasten, fix securely. III. v. n. Cast anchor, come to anchor, keep hold, take firm hold.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

Bring your a-se to an anchor, i.e. sit down. To let go an anchor to the windward of the law; to keep within the letter of the law. SEA WIT.

Moby Thesaurus

Baldt anchor, Navy anchor, Northill anchor, affix, anchorage, annex, attach, batten, batten down, belay, berth, billet at, bind, bivouac, bower, bridle, burrow, camp, cast anchor, catch, cement, chain, cinch, clamp, clinch, colonize, come to anchor, cramp, dinghy anchor, disembark, dock, domesticate, drag anchor, drogue, drop anchor, drop the hook, enchain, engraft, ensconce, entrammel, establish residence, fasten, fasten down, fetter, fix, floating anchor, fluke, glue, graft, grapnel, grapple, gyve, hamper, handcuff, hive, hobble, hog-tie, holdfast, hook, hopple, imbed, inhabit, kedge, kedge anchor, kedge off, keep house, knit, lash, lash and tie, lay anchor, leash, live at, locate, mainstay, make fast, make secure, make sure, manacle, moor, mooring, mooring buoy, moorings, move, mudhook, mushroom anchor, nest, park, peg down, people, perch, picket, pin, pin down, pinion, plant, populate, put in irons, put to, relocate, reside, restrain, rivet, roost, rope, screw anchor, screw up, sea anchor, secure, security, set, set to, set up housekeeping, set up shop, settle, settle down, shackle, shank, sheet anchor, sit down, slip, squat, stability, stabilizer, stand, starboard anchor, stay at, stock, straitjacket, strap, strike root, support, take residence at, take root, take up residence, tether, tie, tie down, tie up, tighten, trammel, trice up, trim