anchor

Examples

• All

• He checked to ensure the anchor was secure before leaving the vessel.

• After a day's sailing, they decided to drop the anchor and rest for the night.

• So that just means that the anchor is in the water, right?

  Fool's Gold (2008)

• A sea anchor is used as a drag to keep the boat's head to the wind.

  Life of Pi (2012)

• We could set her at anchor... and come back later with two or three tugs.

  Ghost Ship (2002)

• Why don't we drop anchor, stop us drifting any further?

  Last Breath (2025)

• Jumping out, they act as anchors for their canoe in the shallow water.

  Academic text (1993)

• Hilary, Dick, and Connie struggled with the anchor, the rope, and the winch for twenty minutes.

  Fiction book (1990)

• The fisherman dropped the anchor to keep the boat from drifting away.

Synonyms

M

mooring

vsanchor

• Specialized

7 5.0

A rope or chain that holds a boat in place

is specifically the heavy object attached to that rope or chain to hold vessel

G

grapnel

vsanchor

• Specialized

1 9.5

A small hook with several points on a rope used to hold or pull things

is the heavier seabed-holding object used to stop a vessel from drifting

M

mooring anchor

vsanchor

• Specialized

1 6.5

A heavy object that holds a buoy or marker on the bottom of the water

is the heavy object attached to a rope or chain that prevents drifting

S

sheet anchor

vsanchor

• Jargon

1 9.3

A spare anchor kept on a ship for use in an emergency

serves as the main heavy seabed-holding device used to moor a vessel

G

grapnel anchor

vsanchor

• Specialized

1 7.3

A small metal tool with several hooks that holds a small boat on rocky or weedy sea bottom

is heavier and made to hold larger vessels firmly to the seabed

M

mushroom anchor

vsanchor

• Specialized

1 7.4

A heavy metal device with a bowl-shaped head that digs into soft sea floor to hold boats

is a general heavy seabed-holding object used for everyday mooring needs

W

waist anchor

vsanchor

• Specialized

9.9

A spare heavy object used to hold a ship during an emergency

is the primary heavy object used to attach a vessel to the seabed

Compounds

A

anchor point

4 4.1

A fixed place used to hold, support, or guide something

A

anchor chain

1 3.4

A heavy chain or strong rope that connects a boat to the metal piece that holds it in place

S

sea anchor

• Specialized

1 6.5

A heavy cloth pulled behind a boat to slow drift and keep the front facing the wind

A

anchor rope

1 3.9

A rope or chain that connects an anchor to a boat

M

mooring anchor

• Specialized

1 6.5

A heavy object that holds a buoy or marker on the bottom of the water

A

anchor light

• Specialized

1 6.0

A white light on a boat that shows it is stopped at anchor

A

anchor ring

• Specialized

1 7.7

A doughnut-shaped solid with a hole in the middle

S

sheet anchor

• Jargon

1 9.3

A spare anchor kept on a ship for use in an emergency

M

mushroom anchor

• Specialized

1 7.4

A heavy metal device with a bowl-shaped head that digs into soft sea floor to hold boats

G

grapnel anchor

• Specialized

1 7.3

A small metal tool with several hooks that holds a small boat on rocky or weedy sea bottom

E

egg-and-anchor

• Specialized

9.9

A decorative border with egg shapes and anchor shapes

W

waist anchor

• Specialized

9.9

A spare heavy object used to hold a ship during an emergency

How Heavy

anchor

86 2.7

ballast

• Specialized

18 6.7

counterweight

9 5.3

weight

∞ 1.0

feather

254 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology