anchor
(æŋkəʳ )
Word forms: anchors , anchoring , 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
4. countable noun [oft N of/for n]
If one thing is the anchor for 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
5. verb [usually passive]
If something is anchored in something or to something, it has strong links with it.
Bilbao is firmly anchored in Basque culture. [be V-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 who presents it. [mainly US]
He was the anchor of the 15-minute evening newscast.
Synonyms: presenter, newscaster, reporter, commentator
8. at anchor phrase
If a boat is at anchor, it is floating in a particular place and is prevented from moving by its anchor.
Sailing boats lay at anchor in the narrow waterway.
9. drop anchor phrase [VERB inflects]
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.
We dropped anchor in a sheltered spot.
10. weigh anchor/up anchor phrase [VERB inflects]
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.
Image of anchor
© Robert Eastman, Shutterstock
Collocations:
anchor a boat anchor cable anchor chain anchor line anchor offshore anchor point news anchor ship anchors sports anchor television anchor
Or should we head for a beach, anchor the boat, find some driftwood and chargrill the fish?
Times, Sunday Times
The unnamed 60-yearold had already been stuck for hours after trying to anchor his boat in an estuary.
The Sun
It's a bright, spacious property with a nice pool, and you can anchor a boat in the shallow waters in front.
Times, Sunday Times
I was in high spirits, though - how could you not be on a boat anchored at sea, dancing in moonlight reflected off sea and sky?
Times, Sunday Times
The boats anchored out in the bay all have their curtains shut tight.
Times, Sunday Times
The rest of us filed to the door, guiding our static lines along the anchor cable.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Minutes later it capsized, with the anchor cable still in place running back to the rig.
Times, Sunday Times
The list continued to increase and at 18.53 the remaining anchor cable snapped and the rig turned upside down.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
This same wave snapped the anchor cable and washed away all items not battened down.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
If the anchor cable would not part, the mine and the paravane would be brought together and the mine would explode harmlessly against the paravane.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Local environmentalists say that a single anchor chain can destroy almost an acre of coral in one day.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The anchor chain tightened and ran up its side, forcing the boat over.
The Sun (2007)
The anchor chain of the Golden Sands dropped vertically into the silky waters.
THE MAIN CAGES (2002)
It makes a triangular web, sitting at the apex and holding an anchor line that attaches it to something solid.
Times, Sunday Times
Similarly, ships could use flags to signal for assistance if, for example, an anchor line parted during a storm.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Other examples include clothesline, chalk line, anchor line (rode), stern line, fishing line, marline and so on.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Flexible-wing types often rely on an anchor line or the weight of a pilot hanging beneath to maintain the correct attitude.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
An anchor rode (or anchor line) usually consists of chain or cable or both.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Passengers are taken there in small rubber dinghies from the few cruise ships which, for the moment, anchor offshore.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The floating sunbathing platform anchored offshore.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The first night, it had motored until midnight, then anchored offshore, out of the shipping channel.
THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)
Even in the worst of situations, such strengths become an anchor point for the rest of the ministry.
Christianity Today
Stand facing the anchor point with palms facing each other and feet together.
The Sun
Walk your feet towards the anchor point so you're in a challenging position.
The Sun
Sport often provides the only anchor point in the lives of some young people.
The Sun
The cabin was an anchor point for quite a long time.
Times, Sunday Times
I've waited for my last news anchor, had my fill of newsroom rancour.
Times, Sunday Times
Maybe so, but surely a prime spot in our culture's coveted television news anchor chair could boost his self-talk into a feel-good-about-himself status?
Christianity Today
Blow-dried, but not blatantly so, like a news anchor with an orange face.
Times, Sunday Times
She's never claimed to be a news anchor.
The Sun
All ears are filled with the news anchor commentaries.
Times, Sunday Times
The ship anchors in a cove where you can explore by tender or kayak.
Times, Sunday Times
Several cables are cut every year by wayward ship anchors and strong currents without causing a noticeable effect on communications.
Times, Sunday Times
He revisits reluctantly when his ship anchors there during a hurricane.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Causes have included ship anchors, fishing nets, fire, and grid power disturbances.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He remained as a sports anchor for 16 years, covering both the noon and evening sections.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He became the station's weekend sports anchor and reporter in 1983.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He started as a promotional producer and fill -in sports anchor then became the promotional director.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Initial devices would do relatively simple squeezeback effects (think a rectangular box graphic over the shoulder of a news or sports anchor person).
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
In 2010, he joined as a weekend sports anchor, and two years later he was promoted to sports director.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Blank studied broadcast journalism, hoping to become a television anchor.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
After working as a television anchor for a short while, she soon ventured into film business, turning an actress.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Flustered television anchors were left scrambling.
Times, Sunday Times
Translations:
Chinese: 锚, 使固定
Japanese: 錨, 錨で固定する
- entire cast
- entire chapter
- entire circumference
- entire class
- entire cohort
- entire collection
- entire colony
- entire community
- entire congregation
- entire contents
- entire continent
- entire country
- entire crew
- entire cycle
- entire department
- entire duration
- entire ecosystem
- entire edifice
- entire family
- entire fleet
- entire floor
- entire generation
- entire genre
- entire history
- entire industry