anchor

[ ang-ker ]

/ ˈæŋ kər /

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See synonyms for: anchor / anchored / anchoring on Thesaurus.com

noun

any of various devices dropped by a chain, cable, or rope to the bottom of a body of water for preventing or restricting the motion of a vessel or other floating object, typically having broad, hooklike arms that bury themselves in the bottom to provide a firm hold.

any similar device for holding fast or checking motion: an anchor of stones.

any device for securing a suspension or cantilever bridge at either end.

any of various devices, as a metal tie, for binding one part of a structure to another.

a person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability, or security; mainstay: Hope was his only anchor.

Also anchorman. Radio and Television. a person who is the main broadcaster on a program of news, sports, etc., and who usually also serves as coordinator of all participating broadcasters during the program; anchorman or anchorwoman; anchorperson.

Television. a program that attracts many viewers who are likely to stay tuned to the network for the programs that follow.

Also called anchor store . a well-known store, especially a department store, that attracts customers to the shopping center in which it is located.

Slang. automotive brakes.

Military. a key position in defense lines.

Also anchorman. Sports.

the person on a team, especially a relay team, who competes last.
the person farthest to the rear on a tug-of-war team.

verb (used with object)

to hold fast by an anchor.

to fix or fasten; affix firmly: The button was anchored to the cloth with heavy thread.

to act or serve as an anchor for: He anchored the evening news.

verb (used without object)

to drop anchor; lie or ride at anchor: The ship anchored at dawn.

to keep hold or be firmly fixed: The insect anchored fast to its prey.

Sports, Radio and Television. to act or serve as an anchor.

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Idioms about anchor

at anchor, held in place by an anchor: The luxury liner is at anchor in the harbor.

drag anchor, (of a vessel) to move with a current or wind because an anchor has failed to hold.

drop anchor, to anchor a vessel:They dropped anchor in a bay to escape the storm.

weigh anchor, to raise the anchor: We will weigh anchor at dawn.

Origin of anchor

First recorded before 900; Middle English anker, ancre, Old English ancor, ancer, ancra (compare Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, Middle Low German anker ), from Latin anc(h)ora, from Greek ánkȳra

OTHER WORDS FROM anchor

an·chor·a·ble, adjectivean·chor·less, adjectivean·chor·like, adjectivere·an·chor, verb

un·an·chored, adjectivewell-anchored, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use anchor in a sentence

A really sophisticated VR experience usually needs some kind of computer anchor to deliver truly immersive games and experiences.
Electronics and exercise gear that make excellent gifts|PopSci Commerce Team|October 8, 2020|Popular-Science
Kenya in 2007 had no comparable institutional anchors to help ensure post-election stability.
Election Violence In November? Here’s What The Research Says|LGBTQ-Editor|October 2, 2020|No Straight News
When the cameras turned off and news anchors left their posts on the Gulf Coast after 2010’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill, residents were left to fend for themselves.
Erin Brockovich has given up on the federal government saving the environment|Nicole Goodkind|September 25, 2020|Fortune
In a recent video interview, he laid out the company’s case for expansion amid the tumult, saying that Lululemon’s stores are small and profitable, while serving as an anchor for the brand’s loyal customers.
Lululemon still plans to open more stores even as the pandemic ravages the retail landscape|Rachel King|September 18, 2020|Fortune

A few ways you can optimize your content for the featured snippet box are posing a question in a header and then concisely answering the question directly below, including FAQ schema, and providing a table of contents with anchor links.
Content creation guide: How to effectively think of SEO at every stage|Kelsey Raymond|June 19, 2020|Search Engine Watch
Anchoring this cast is the well-known actor Makram Khoury, who also appeared in a question-and-answer session after the film.
'It's Better To Jump' Tackles Gentrification in Akka|Matt Lerner|November 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
And Dabis, making her debut in front of the camera, does a fine job anchoring the film as its severely conflicted protagonist.
Charming ‘May in the Summer’ Kicks Off the 2013 Sundance Film Festival|Marlow Stern|January 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“In my opinion, he was very rude,” recalled Hughes, who was co-anchoring the podcast with right-wing talk jock Rusty Humphries.
New Tea Party News Network Defining Conservative Brand and Mission|Lloyd Grove|November 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Although she was sometimes described as ‘wild’ herself, she was actually a calming, anchoring influence on Harry.
Naked Prince Harry Photos Shock|Tom Sykes|August 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Olbermann did plenty of promotional tweets when he was anchoring.
Keith Olbermann’s Angry Email Trail Traces Breakup With Current TV|Howard Kurtz|April 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
After anchoring the wind was variable and light from the western quarter but during the night there was a heavy swell.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
They quickly launched it and rowed to the far side of the lake, anchoring near a stretch of lily pads.
The Missing Formula|Mildred A. Wirt, AKA Ann Wirt
They went to another bollard and there, the mariner anchoring himself, she began to talk.
The Beach of Dreams|H. De Vere Stacpoole
Mate, on a supply-launch that went in and out to and from the transports, that were continually anchoring in the bay.
Tramping on Life|Harry Kemp
The wind favored her again, and she got over the bar and through the breakers, anchoring at nightfall in seven fathoms of water.
South American Fights and Fighters|Cyrus Townsend Brady

British Dictionary definitions for anchor

anchor

/ (ˈæŋkə) /

noun

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

an object used to hold something else firmly in placethe rock provided an anchor for the rope

a source of stability or securityreligion was his anchor

a metal cramp, bolt, or similar fitting, esp one used to make a connection to masonry
(as modifier)anchor bolt; anchor plate

the rear person in a tug-of-war team
short for anchorman, anchorwoman

at anchor (of a vessel) anchored

cast anchor, come to anchor or drop anchor to anchor a vessel

drag anchor See drag (def. 13)

ride at anchor to be anchored

weigh anchor to raise a vessel's anchor or (of a vessel) to have its anchor raised in preparation for departure

verb

to use an anchor to hold (a vessel) in one place

to fasten or be fastened securely; fix or become fixed firmly

(tr) radio television to act as an anchorman on

Word Origin for anchor

Old English ancor, from Latin ancora, from Greek ankura; related to Greek ankos bend; compare Latin uncus bent, hooked

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

anchor

Idioms about anchor

Origin of anchor

OTHER WORDS FROM anchor

Words related to anchor

How to use anchor in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for anchor

Word Origin for anchor