anchor

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Related to anchor: anchor tag

anchor

top to bottom: Danforth, admiralty, and stockless anchors

an·chor

(ăng′kər)

1. Nautical A heavy object attached to a vessel by a cable, rope, or chain and dropped into the water to keep the vessel in place either by its weight or by its flukes, which grip the bottom.

2. A rigid point of support, as for securing a rope.

3. A source of security or stability.

a. An athlete, usually the strongest member of a team, who performs the last stage of a relay race or other competition.

b. The person at the end of a tug-of-war team.

5. An anchorperson.

v. an·chored, an·chor·ing, an·chors

v.tr.

a. To secure (a vessel) with an anchor.

b. To secure with a fastener or similar device: bolts anchoring the deck to the house. See Synonyms at fasten.

c. To cause to be fixed in place; fix or immobilize: fear anchoring him in the dark hallway; mussels anchoring themselves to a rock.

d. To cause to feel attached or secure: memories anchoring us to our home town.

e. To provide a basis for; establish or found: "innovative cuisines firmly anchored in tradition" (Gourmet Magazine).

2. Sports To serve as an anchor for (a team or competition): anchor a relay race.

3. To narrate or coordinate (a newscast).

4. To provide or form an anchor store for: Two major stores anchor each end of the shopping mall.

v.intr.

Nautical To drop anchor or lie at anchor.

[Middle English anker, ancher, from Old English ancor, from Latin ancora, anchora, from Greek ankura.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

anchor

(ˈæŋkə)

1. (Nautical Terms) any of several devices, usually of steel, attached to a vessel by a cable and dropped overboard so as to grip the bottom and restrict the vessel's movement

2. an object used to hold something else firmly in place: the rock provided an anchor for the rope.

3. a source of stability or security: religion was his anchor.

4. (Building)

a. a metal cramp, bolt, or similar fitting, esp one used to make a connection to masonry

b. (as modifier): anchor bolt; anchor plate.

5. (Team Sports, other than specified)

a. the rear person in a tug-of-war team

b. short for anchorman, anchorwoman

6. (Nautical Terms) at anchor (of a vessel) anchored

7. (Nautical Terms) cast anchor come to anchor drop anchor to anchor a vessel

8. (Nautical Terms) drag anchor See drag¹³

9. (Nautical Terms) ride at anchor to be anchored

10. (Nautical Terms) weigh anchor to raise a vessel's anchor or (of a vessel) to have its anchor raised in preparation for departure

11. (Nautical Terms) to use an anchor to hold (a vessel) in one place

12. to fasten or be fastened securely; fix or become fixed firmly

13. (Broadcasting) (tr) radio television to act as an anchorman on

[Old English ancor, from Latin ancora, from Greek ankura; related to Greek ankos bend; compare Latin uncus bent, hooked]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

an•chor

(ˈæŋ kər)

n.

1. a heavy device dropped by a chain, cable, or rope to the bottom of a body of water for restraining the motion of a vessel or other floating object.

2. any similar device for holding fast or checking motion.

3. a person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability, or security; mainstay.

4. the main broadcaster on a program of news, sports, etc.

5. a television program that attracts many viewers who are likely to stay tuned for the programs that follow.

6. a well-known store, esp. a department store, that attracts customers to the shopping center in which it is located.

7. Also, anchorman.

a. the person on a sports team, esp. a relay team, who competes last.

b. the person farthest to the rear on a tug-of-war team.

8. anchors, Slang. the brakes of an automobile.

v.t.

9. to hold fast by an anchor.

10. to fix or fasten; affix firmly: to anchor a button to a sleeve.

11. to act or serve as a radio or television anchor for: to anchor the evening news.

v.i.

12. to drop anchor; lie or ride at anchor.

13. to keep hold or be firmly fixed.

14. to act or serve as a radio or television anchor.

Idioms:

at anchor, kept in place by an anchor.

[before 900; Old English ancor, ancer < Latin an-c(h)ora < Greek ánkȳra]

an′chor•a•ble, adj.

an′chor•like`, adj.

anchor

Past participle: anchored
Gerund: anchoring

Imperative
anchor
anchor

Present
I anchor
you anchor
he/she/it anchors
we anchor
you anchor
they anchor

Preterite
I anchored
you anchored
he/she/it anchored
we anchored
you anchored
they anchored

Present Continuous
I am anchoring
you are anchoring
he/she/it is anchoring
we are anchoring
you are anchoring
they are anchoring

Present Perfect
I have anchored
you have anchored
he/she/it has anchored
we have anchored
you have anchored
they have anchored

Past Continuous
I was anchoring
you were anchoring
he/she/it was anchoring
we were anchoring
you were anchoring
they were anchoring

Past Perfect
I had anchored
you had anchored
he/she/it had anchored
we had anchored
you had anchored
they had anchored

Future
I will anchor
you will anchor
he/she/it will anchor
we will anchor
you will anchor
they will anchor

Future Perfect
I will have anchored
you will have anchored
he/she/it will have anchored
we will have anchored
you will have anchored
they will have anchored

Future Continuous
I will be anchoring
you will be anchoring
he/she/it will be anchoring
we will be anchoring
you will be anchoring
they will be anchoring

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been anchoring
you have been anchoring
he/she/it has been anchoring
we have been anchoring
you have been anchoring
they have been anchoring

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been anchoring
you will have been anchoring
he/she/it will have been anchoring
we will have been anchoring
you will have been anchoring
they will have been anchoring

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been anchoring
you had been anchoring
he/she/it had been anchoring
we had been anchoring
you had been anchoring
they had been anchoring

Conditional
I would anchor
you would anchor
he/she/it would anchor
we would anchor
you would anchor
they would anchor

Past Conditional
I would have anchored
you would have anchored
he/she/it would have anchored
we would have anchored
you would have anchored
they would have anchored

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	anchor - a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving ground tackle flue, fluke - flat bladelike projection on the arm of an anchor grapnel anchor, grapnel - a light anchor for small boats claw, hook - a mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold or pull something mooring anchor - an anchor used to hold a mooring buoy or a channel marker in place mushroom anchor - an anchor used for semipermanent moorings; has a bowl-shaped head that will dig in however it falls shank, stem - cylinder forming a long narrow part of something sheet anchor, waist anchor - spare anchor for use in emergency vessel, watercraft - a craft designed for water transportation
	2.	anchor - 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" backbone, keystone, linchpin, lynchpin, mainstay support - something providing immaterial assistance to a person or cause or interest; "the policy found little public support"; "his faith was all the support he needed"; "the team enjoyed the support of their fans"
	3.	anchor - a television reporter who coordinates a broadcast to which several correspondents contribute anchorman, anchorperson television newscaster, television reporter, TV newsman, TV reporter - someone who reports news stories via television
Verb	1.	anchor - fix firmly and stably; "anchor the lamppost in concrete" ground fasten, fix, secure - cause to be firmly attached; "fasten the lock onto the door"; "she fixed her gaze on the man"
	2.	anchor - secure a vessel with an anchor; "We anchored at Baltimore" cast anchor, drop anchor fasten, fix, secure - cause to be firmly attached; "fasten the lock onto the door"; "she fixed her gaze on the man"

anchor

noun

1. mooring, hook (Nautical), bower (Nautical), kedge, drogue, sheet anchor We lost our anchor, which caused the boat to drift.

2. support, second, stay, supporter, prop, backer, backbone, mainstay, comforter, tower of strength He provided an emotional anchor for her.

3. presenter, newscaster, reporter, commentator, broadcaster, newsreader, anchor man, anchor woman He was the anchor for the channel's 15-minute news programme.

verb

1. moor, harbour, dock, tie up, drop anchor, kedge, drop the hook, cast anchor, let go the anchor, lay anchor, come to anchor We could anchor off the pier.

2. secure, tie, fix, bind, chain, attach, bolt, fasten, affix The child's seatbelt was not properly anchored in the car.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

anchor

verb

To make secure:

catch, fasten, fix, moor, secure.

Idiom: make fast.

Translations

مِرْسَاةمِرْساة السَّفينَهمَلاذ، سَند، مَرْبَطيُرْسي، يَرْبُط السَّفينَه بِالمِرْساة

kotvakotvitopora

ankerforankringholde påkaste anker

Anker ankern Rettungsanker verankern

άγκυρα αγκυροβολώ αράζω σύνδεσμος

ancla anclar

ankkuriankkurivarustusankkuroidajuontaalinkki

ancre ancrer attache

sidro

horgonylehorgonyozrögzítő

akkerihaldreipileggjast viî festar; festa tryggilega

ancora àncora ancorare

錨

닻

ancorasto

inkaraslaivų stovėjimo vietanuleidęs inkarąnuleisti inkarąpagrindas

drošs patvērumsenkursnoenkurotnoenkuroties

anker

anker ankre feste forankring

kotwica

âncora escora escorar

ancora

якорь

kotvakotviť

sidro

kotvasidro

ankareankra

สมอเรือ

çapaçıpademirdemir atmakdemirlemek

mỏ neo

锚固定物把...固定住

anchor

[ˈæŋkəʳ]

A. N

1. (Naut) → ancla f
to be or lie or ride at anchor → estar al ancla, estar anclado
to cast or drop anchor → echar anclas
anchors aweigh! → ¡leven anclas!
see also weigh A3

2. (fig) → seguridad f, sostén m; (= person) → pilar m

3. = anchorman, anchorwoman

B. VT

1. (Naut) → anclar

2. (fig) → sujetar (to a) → afianzar (to en)

3. (esp US) (TV, Rad) → presentar

C. VI (Naut) → anclar

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

anchor

[ˈæŋkə^r]

[boat] → ancre f
to drop anchor → jeter l'ancre, mouiller
to weigh anchor → lever l'ancre
to be at anchor [boat] → être à l'ancre, être au mouillage

(fig) (= secure point) → point m d'ancrage

[TV or radio programme] → présentateur/trice m/f

vi (= drop anchor) [ship] → jeter l'ancre, mouiller

[+ boat, ship] → mettre à l'ancre

(= attach) → arrimer
to anchor sth to sth → attacher qch à qch
to anchor sth down → arrimer qch

[+ TV or radio programme] → présenter

anchor

(Naut) → Anker m; (fig: hope, love, person etc) → Zuflucht f, → Rettungsanker m; to cast or drop anchor → Anker werfen, vor Anker gehen; to weigh or up anchor → den Anker lichten; to be or lie or ride at anchor → vor Anker liegen; to come to anchor → vor Anker gehen; the stone served as an anchor for the tent → der Stein diente dazu, das Zelt zu beschweren or am Boden festzuhalten

(esp US TV: = presenter) → Anchorman m, → Anchorwoman f, → Moderator(in) m(f)

vt (Naut, fig) → verankern; we anchored the tablecloth (down) with stones → wir beschwerten das Tischtuch mit Steinen; to be anchored in something (fig) → in etw (dat) → (fest) verankert sein

vi (Naut) → ankern, vor Anker gehen

anchor

anchorman

n pl <-men> (esp US TV) → Anchorman m, → Moderator m; (Sport) (in relay race) → Letzte(r) m; (in tug-of-war) → hinterster Mann; (fig) → eiserne Stütze f, → Eckpfeiler m

anchor store

n (attractive store) → Magnetbetrieb m

anchorwoman

n pl <-women> (esp US TV) → Anchorwoman f, → Moderatorin f; (Sport: in relay race) → Letzte f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

anchor

[ˈæŋkəʳ]

1. n → ancora (fig) → ancora di salvezza; (of team, organization) → perno, pilastro
to be (lying) at anchor → essere alla fonda
to drop anchor → gettare l'ancora
to weigh anchor → salpare or levare l'ancora

2. vt (also fig) → ancorare

3. vi → ancorarsi

anchor

(ˈӕŋkə) noun

1. something, usually a heavy piece of metal with points which dig into the sea-bed, used to hold a boat in one position.

2. something that holds someone or something steady.

verb

to hold (a boat etc) steady (with an anchor). They have anchored (the boat) near the shore; He used a stone to anchor his papers.

ˈanchorage (-ridʒ) noun

a place which is safe, or used, for anchoring boats. a sheltered anchorage.

at anchor

(of a ship) anchored. The ship lay at anchor in the bay.

anchor

→ مِرْسَاة kotva anker Anker άγκυρα ancla ankkuri ancre sidro ancora 錨 닻 anker anker kotwica âncora якорь ankare สมอเรือ çapa mỏ neo 锚

References in classic literature ?

Before an anchor can ever be raised, it must be let go; and this perfectly obvious truism brings me at once to the subject of the degradation of the sea language in the daily press of this country.

View in context

The Recherche, after touching at several points in the Pacific, cast anchor before Vanikoro, 7th July, 1827, in that same harbour of Vanou where the Nautilus was at this time.

View in context

At the same instant I saw that the thing that had struck us was the trailing anchor of a rather fair-sized air vessel; possibly a ten man cruiser.

View in context

And all this seemed natural enough; especially as in the merchant service many captains never show themselves on deck for a considerable time after heaving up the anchor, but remain over the cabin table, having a farewell merrymaking with their shore friends, before they quit the ship for good with the pilot.

View in context

"I expect the ship will have its own anchor," said the Doctor.

View in context

Thence, bearing generally south-east and making slow progress in the dead beat to windward, the Ariel dropped anchor in nearly every harbour of the Solomons, from Choiseul and Ronongo islands, to the islands of Kulambangra, Vangunu, Pavuvu, and New Georgia.

View in context

In her bows lay a tiny anchor, two jugs of water, and some seventy fathoms of thin, brown dory-roding.

View in context

On coming to anchor the captain went on shore, accompanied by Mr.

View in context

They were on board when the Henrietta made ready to weigh anchor.

View in context

Eight miles away, it was not till two in the afternoon that the light air-fans enabled her to drop anchor a quarter of a mile off the shore.

View in context

I communicated to his majesty a project I had formed of seizing the enemy's whole fleet; which, as our scouts assured us, lay at anchor in the harbour, ready to sail with the first fair wind.

View in context

Two hours afterwards, the other vessels had overtaken the flagship, and the three, not venturing perhaps to enter the narrow entrance of the harbor, cast anchor between Havre and La Heve.