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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fig.: That which gives stability or security; that on which we place dependence for safety. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Heb. vi. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Her.) An emblem of hope. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Zool.) One of the anchor-shaped spicules of certain sponges; also, one of the calcareous spinules of certain Holothurians, as in species of Synapta. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Television) an achorman, anchorwoman, or anchorperson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Anchor ice. See under Ice. --
Anchor light See the vocabulary. --
Anchor ring. (Math.) Same as Annulus, 2 (b). --
Anchor shot See the vocabulary. --
Anchor space See the vocabulary. --
Anchor stock (Naut.), the crossbar at the top of the shank at right angles to the arms. --
Anchor watch See the vocabulary. --
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 is 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 so tight as to bring the 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To fix or fasten; to fix in a stable condition; as, to anchor the cables of a suspension bridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To cast anchor; to come to anchor; as, our ship (or the captain) anchored in the stream. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To stop; to fix or rest. [ 1913 Webster ]

My invention . . . anchors on Isabel. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. anker, ancre, AS. ancra, fr. L. anachoreta. See Anchoret. ] An anchoret. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Fit for anchorage. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Abode of an anchoret. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of anchoring, or the condition of lying at anchor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A place suitable for anchoring or where ships anchor; a hold for an anchor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The set of anchors belonging to a ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Something which holds like an anchor; a hold; as, the anchorages of the Brooklyn Bridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Something on which one may depend for security; ground of trust. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A toll for anchoring; anchorage duties. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Anchor-shaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Held by an anchor; at anchor; held safely; as, an anchored bark; also, shaped like an anchor; forked; as, an anchored tongue. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Her.) Having the extremities turned back, like the flukes of an anchor; as, an anchored cross. [ Sometimes spelt ancred. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Horol.) (a) The common recoil escapement. (b) A variety of the lever escapement with a wide impulse pin. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A female anchoret. [ 1913 Webster ]

And there, a saintly anchoress, she dwelt. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Cf. Gr. &unr_;. ] Pertaining to an anchoret or hermit; after the manner of an anchoret. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Hermitlike. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The practice or mode of life of an anchoret. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The hold or grip of an anchor, or that to which it holds. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: Firm hold: security. [ 1913 Webster ]

/mhw>, n. [ F. anachorète, L. anachoreta, fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to go back, retire; &unr_; + &unr_; to give place, retire, &unr_; place; perh. akin to Skr. hā to leave. Cf. Anchor a hermit. ] One who renounces the world and secludes himself, usually for religious reasons; a hermit; a recluse. [ Written by some authors anachoret. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Our Savior himself . . . did not choose an anchorite's or a monastic life, but a social and affable way of conversing with mortals. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Anchoret. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An anchoress. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without an anchor or stay. Hence: Drifting; unsettled. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Naut.) The lantern shown at night by a vessel at anchor. International rules of the road require vessels at anchor to carry from sunset to sunrise a single white light forward if under 150 feet in length, and if longer, two such lights, one near the stern and one forward. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. a woman television reporter who coordinates a broadcast to which several correspondents contribute. Male correlate of anchorwoman. [ PJC ]

n. 1. an anchorman or anchorwoman.. The anchorperson usually begins the broadcast, discusses certain topics, and introduces new topics, which may be discussed by other reprorters, especially when the report is recorded or broadcast from a location other than the main broadcast studio.
Syn. -- anchor, anchorman, anchorwoman. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

. (Billiards) A shot made with the object balls in an anchor space. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Billiards) In the balk-line game, any of eight spaces, 7 inches by 31/2, lying along a cushion and bisected transversely by a balk line. Object balls in an anchor space are treated as in balk. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Naut.) A detail of one or more men who keep watch on deck at night when a vessel is at anchor. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. a woman television reporter who coordinates a broadcast to which several correspondents contribute. Female correlate of anchorman. [ PJC ]

v. t. & i. [ Pref. dis- + anchor: cf. F. désancrer. ] To raise the anchor of, as a ship; to weigh anchor. [ Obs. ] Heywood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. same as egg-and-dart.
Syn. -- egg-and-dart, egg-and-tongue. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(Naut.) See Drag sail, under 4th Drag. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ OE. scheten to shoot, AS. sceótan; cf. OE. shoot anchor. See Shoot, v. t. ] 1. (Naut.) A large anchor stowed on shores outside the waist of a vessel; -- called also waist anchor. See the Note under Anchor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anything regarded as a sure support or dependence in danger; the best hope or refuge. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + anchor. ] To loose from the anchor, as a ship. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]