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REFERENCE

anchor

US //ˈæŋkɝ// UK //ˈænkɐ// an·chor
  1. 1 ship's mooring tool (n.)
    B1 Intermediate nautical

    a heavy metal object dropped from a boat into the water to keep it from moving.

    a heavy iron or steel device designed to grip the seabed and hold a vessel in place via a chain or cable.

    Example

    The captain ordered the crew to drop the anchor as they entered the bay.

    Example

    The vessel struggled to maintain its position until the anchor finally caught on the rocky seabed, providing relief to the exhausted crew.
  2. 2 source of stability (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person or thing that gives you a feeling of safety and stability.

    a person, principle, or entity that provides emotional or situational stability and security.

    Example

    Her family was her anchor during the difficult years of her medical studies.

    Example

    In times of economic volatility, gold often serves as an anchor for investors seeking to preserve their capital against inflation.
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  1. 3 news presenter (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate television

    the main person who reads the news on a television or radio programme.

    the primary broadcaster in a news programme who coordinates reports and provides transitions between segments.

    Example

    The news anchor introduced the reporter who was standing outside the parliament building.

    Example

    The network's veteran anchor delivered the breaking news with a calm authority that reassured the viewing public during the crisis.
  2. 4 large store (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    a very large shop in a shopping centre that attracts many customers.

    a major retail store, typically a department store, that serves as the primary draw for a shopping mall.

    Example

    The mall struggled to find a new tenant after the big anchor store closed down.

    Example

    Developers often offer lower rent to anchor tenants because their presence is essential for attracting smaller boutique retailers to the complex.
  3. 5 digital link target (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a specific place in a document or website that a link points to.

    a specific location within a digital document or webpage that serves as the target for a hyperlink.

    Example

    Clicking the link will take you directly to the anchor at the bottom of the page.

    Example

    The developer inserted an anchor tag to allow users to jump directly to the relevant section of the technical documentation.
  4. 6 vehicle brakes (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Slang British English

    a slang word for the brakes on a car or bike.

    a slang term referring to the braking system of a vehicle.

    Example

    He had to slam on the anchors when the cat ran into the road.

    Example

    The driver hit the anchors hard as the traffic light suddenly turned red, narrowly avoiding a collision with the car in front.
  5. 7 to secure a boat (v.)
    B1 Intermediate nautical

    to stop a boat from moving by using an anchor.

    to secure a vessel to the seabed using an anchor or similar mooring device.

    Example

    We decided to anchor the boat near the island for the night.

    Example

    The yacht was anchored securely in the sheltered cove, protected from the rising winds of the approaching storm.
  6. 8 to fix firmly (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to fix something very firmly in one place so it cannot move.

    to fasten or fix an object securely to a base or foundation.

    Example

    The heavy shelves were anchored to the wall for safety.

    Example

    The suspension bridge cables are anchored deep into the bedrock to withstand extreme tension and weather conditions.
  7. 9 to provide support (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to provide a strong base or support for a person or a system.

    to provide a firm basis or emotional stability for a person, group, or argument.

    Example

    Her calm voice helped to anchor him during the panic attack.

    Example

    The professor's theory is anchored in decades of empirical research and field observations across three continents.
Etymology 1

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂enk-der.? Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́γκῡρᾰ (ắnkūră)bor.? Latin ancorabor. Proto-Germanic *ankurô Proto-West Germanic *ankurō Old English ancor Middle English anker English anchor From Middle English anker, from Old English ancor, ancra, from Latin ancora, from (or cognate with) Ancient Greek ἄγκυρα (ánkura). The modern form is a sixteenth-century modification after the Medieval Latin spelling anchora. Doublet of ancora, anker, angora, and Ankara.

Etymology 2

From Middle English anchoren, ankeren, either from the noun or perhaps (via Old French ancrer) from a Medieval Latin verb ancorare, from the same Latin word ancora.

Etymology 3

Inherited from Middle English ankre, ancre, from Old English ancer, ancra, from Latin anachōrēta, anachōrīta, either with significant shortening of the word within Old English or via an unattested Old Irish form.

Etymology 4

Alternative form.

Idioms2 entries

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