anker

American  

[ang-ker] / ˈæŋ kər /

noun

ankers plural

1. a unit of volume formerly used for wine and distilled liquor in some European countries and equal to about 10 gallons, with the exact amount depending on context. The anker was also used in some places settled by the Dutch, such as South Africa and parts of New York.

2. a keg holding about 10 gallons.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ankers
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

anker ankers

And you must anker surely: for there goeth a great tyde: for the Sea runneth there as swiftly.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation. Vol. XIII. America. Part II. by Hakluyt, Richard

Whose singularities desiring to know as we passed, and seeking also to refresh our selues with fresh water, I made the Mariners cast anker, after wee had sayled about halfe along the coast thereof.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation. Vol. XIII. America. Part II. by Hakluyt, Richard

The same day at night we weighed anker againe.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation. Vol. XIII. America. Part II. by Hakluyt, Richard

This glass held rather more than the anker.

From The Autobiography of Thomas Platter, a schoolmaster of the sixteenth century. by Platter, Thomas

And the 12 by reason of contrary windes we cast anker vnder the Northeast ende of the Isle of Menego to the North of Cape Briton in 16 fathome reasonable ground.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation. Vol. XIII. America. Part II. by Hakluyt, Richard

The ankers brak, and the topmast lap,   It was sic a deadly storm: And the waves cam owre the broken ship   Till a' her sides were torn.

From Bulchevy's Book of English Verse by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

Three gross, with six ankers of the colouring stuff gratis—and the tubs ready slung.

From The Mayor of Troy by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

Then we weighed our ankers: but hauing little winde, we towed the ship forward with the boat.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 05 Central and Southern Europe by Hakluyt, Richard

It sometimes falleth out that Mariners thinking these Whales to be Ilands, and casting out ankers vpon their backs, are often in danger of drowning.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 01 by Hakluyt, Richard

The ankers brak, and the top-masts lap,It was sic a deadly storm;And the waves cam o’er the broken ship,Till a’ her sides were torn.

From A Collection of Ballads by Lang, Andrew