Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense anchors, present participle anchoring, past tense, past participle anchored
1. countable noun
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.
2. verb
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. [VERB]
They anchored the boat. [VERB noun]
3. verb
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. [VERB noun preposition]
The child seat belt was not properly anchored to the car. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: secure, tie, fix, bind More Synonyms of anchor
4. countable noun [oft Nof/for n]
If one thing is the anchorfor something else, it makes that thing stable and secure.
He provided an emotional anchor for her.
He remains the anchor of the country's fragile political balance.
Synonyms: support, second, stay, supporter More Synonyms of anchor
5. verb [usually passive]
If something is anchoredin something or to something, it has strong links with it.
Bilbao is firmly anchored in Basque culture. [beV-ed in/to n]
His basic outlook remains anchored in the liberal tradition. [VERB-ed]
6. verb
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 US]
Viewers saw him anchoring a five-minute summary of regional news. [VERB noun]
...a series of reports on the Vietnam War, anchored by Mr. Cronkite. [VERB-ed]
7. countable noun
The anchor on a television or radio programme, especially a news programme, is the person whopresents it.
[mainly US]
He was the anchor of the 15-minute evening newscast.
Synonyms: presenter, newscaster, reporter, commentator More Synonyms of anchor
8.
See at anchor
9.
See drop anchor
10.
See weigh anchor/up anchor
More Synonyms of anchor
anchor in British English
(ˈæŋkə)
noun
1.
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.
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.
a.
the rear person in a tug-of-war team
b. short for anchorman, anchorwoman
6. at anchor
7. cast anchor
8. drag anchor
9. ride at anchor
10. weigh anchor
verb
11.
to use an anchor to hold (a vessel) in one place
12.
to fasten or be fastened securely; fix or become fixed firmly
13. (transitive) radio, television
to act as an anchorman on
Word origin
Old English ancor, from Latin ancora, from Greek ankura; related to Greek ankos bend; compare Latin uncus bent, hooked
anchor in American English
(ˈæŋkər)
noun
1.
a heavy object, usually a shaped iron weight with flukes, lowered by cable or chain to the bottom of a body of water to keep a vessel from drifting
2.
any device that holds something else secure
3.
anything that gives or seems to give stability or security
4.
a person who anchors a team, newscast, etc.
adjective
5.
designating the final leg, or stage, of a relay race
verb transitive
6.
to keep from drifting, giving way, etc., by or as by an anchor
7.
to serve as the end person for (a tug-of-war team)
8.
to serve as the final contestant for (a relay team, bowling team, etc.)
9. Radio and Television
to serve as coordinator of the various reports and as chief reporter for (a newscast)
verb intransitive
10.
to lower the anchor overboard so as to keep from drifting
11.
to be or become fixed
Idioms:
at anchor
drop anchor
drag anchor
ride at anchor
weigh anchor
Word origin
ME anker < OE ancor < L anc(h)ora < Gr ankyra, an anchor, hook < IE base *ank-, to bend > ankle
Or rather dozens of them when we drop anchor at neighbouring La Digue.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Once you've got these anchors in place, they add on the technical bits.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
I understood showbiz, too, having been a singer and anchored an entertainment news show.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Then they become an anchor for your soul.
Christianity Today (2000)
We knew that if just one anchor point failed we would both be hurled into the void.
Eric Newby A BOOK OF LANDS AND PEOPLES (2003)
They want the party anchored more firmly on the right.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He is not afraid of letting go of responsibilities and you being his emotional anchor.
The Sun (2010)
This is caused by the muscles and tendons that anchor joints in place being lax.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This was where we weighed anchor from the emotional storm.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There are a lot of vessels at anchor and some are being diverted.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The boats anchored out in the bay all have their curtains shut tight.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We stopped off at quiet coves where we could drop anchor and swim.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The day out needs one big anchor.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Local environmentalists say that a single anchor chain can destroy almost an acre of coral in one day.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Covering them to keep off the worst of the wet helps but anchor covers firmly to stop them blowing away.
The Sun (2014)
The anchor chain tightened and ran up its side, forcing the boat over.
The Sun (2007)
Trust becomes increasingly anchored in reciprocal self-interest rather than culture as countries modernise.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It's the ideal place to drop anchor at the end of the day.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
To the rest of the football world yesterday's fifth successive win merely kept them anchored at the bottom.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
An area of high pressure is due to move in after Sunday and stay anchored over the country for the week.
The Sun (2011)
Sir, TV anchors do just that.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is news that breathless TV anchors know in their hearts, but cannot bring themselves to utter.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I have to hand it to him in some way, though: it takes serious skill to make a news anchor this unfunny.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
anchor
British English: anchor /ˈæŋkə/ NOUN
An anchor is a heavy hooked object at the end of a chain that is dropped from a boat into the water to make the boat stay in one place.
American English: anchor
Arabic: مِرْسَاة
Brazilian Portuguese: âncora
Chinese: 锚
Croatian: sidro
Czech: kotva
Danish: anker
Dutch: anker
European Spanish: ancla
Finnish: ankkuri
French: ancre
German: Anker
Greek: άγκυρα
Italian: ancora
Japanese: 錨
Korean: 닻
Norwegian: anker
Polish: kotwica
European Portuguese: âncora
Romanian: ancoră
Russian: якорь
Latin American Spanish: ancla
Swedish: ankare fartyg
Thai: สมอเรือ
Turkish: çapa
Ukrainian: якір
Vietnamese: mỏ neo
British English: anchor VERB
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.
American English: anchor
Brazilian Portuguese: ancorar
Chinese: 使固定
European Spanish: anclar
French: jeter l'ancre
German: ankern
Italian: ancorare
Japanese: 錨で固定する
Korean: 닻을 내리다
European Portuguese: ancorar
Latin American Spanish: anclar
All related terms of 'anchor'
at anchor
If a boat is at anchor , it is floating in a particular place and is prevented from moving by its anchor.
co-anchor
one of the usually two anchors for a radio or TV newscast
up-anchor
to weigh anchor
anchor baby
a child born in a country where his or her parents are not citizens , giving them a right to remain in that country
anchor ice
ice that forms at the bottom of a lake or river
anchor ring
a ring made from an iron bar of circular cross-section
cast anchor
to anchor a vessel
drag anchor
(of a vessel) to move away from its mooring because the anchor has failed to hold
drop anchor to cast anchor
When the people on a boat drop anchor or cast anchor , they drop the boat's anchor into the water in order to prevent the boat from moving.
sea anchor
any device, such as a bucket or canvas funnel , dragged in the water to keep a vessel heading into the wind or reduce drifting
anchor watch
a deck watch maintained by the crew of a ship at anchor
drift anchor
→ sea anchor
retail anchor
A retail anchor is a popular store whose name will attract customers to a shopping mall .
sheet anchor
a large strong anchor for use in emergency
weigh anchor
to raise a vessel's anchor or (of a vessel) to have its anchor raised in preparation for departure
ride at anchor
to be anchored
crown and anchor
a game played with dice marked with crowns and anchors
anchorman
The anchorman on a television or radio programme , especially a news programme, is the man who presents it.
weigh anchor/up anchor
When the people on a boat weigh anchor or up anchor , they pull the anchor of the boat out of the water so that they can sail away .
kedge
to draw (a vessel ) along by hauling in on the cable of a light anchor that has been dropped at some distance from it, or (of a vessel) to be drawn in this fashion
egg and dart
an ornamental moulding in which a half egg shape alternates with a dart , tongue , or anchor shape