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 seaman'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 spare anchor, the stream anchor, and the kedge anchor, which is the smallest. – Mar. Dict.
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. – Heb. vi.
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. – Encyc.

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.

1. To place at anchor; as, to anchor a ship. A ship is anchored but not moored, by a single anchor.
2. To fix or fasten on; to fix in a stable condition.

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.
   
   

   * 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.

   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. To place at anchor] to secure by an anchor; as, to anchor a ship.
3. To cast anchor; to come to anchor; as, our ship (or the captain) anchored in the stream.
4. An anchoret.
   
   
   [Obs.] Shak.
5. 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.
6. 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.

7. To stop; to fix or rest.
   
   

   My invention . . . anchors on Isabel.
   Shak.

8. 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.

9. An emblem of hope.
10. A metal tie holding adjoining parts of a building together.
    
    
    (b)
11. 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.