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DEFINITION OF 'ANCHOR'

  
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ANCHOR

(æŋkəʳ )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense anchors , present
participle anchoring , past tense, past participle 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   More Synonyms of anchor

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   More Synonyms of anchor
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   More Synonyms of anchor
8. 
See at anchor
9. 
See drop anchor
10. 
See weigh anchor/up anchor

More Synonyms of anchor
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins
Publishers


IMAGE OF
ANCHOR

© Robert Eastman, Shutterstock


VIDEO: PRONUNCIATION OF
ANCHOR

British English pronunciation

American English pronunciation

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Word Frequency


ANCHOR IN BRITISH ENGLISH

(ˈæŋkə )

noun
1. 
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
2. 
an object used to hold something else firmly in place
the rock provided an anchor for the rope
3. 
a source of stability or security
religion was his anchor
4. 
a. 
a metal cramp, bolt, or similar fitting, esp one used to make a connection to
masonry
b. 
(as modifier)
anchor bolt
anchor plate
5. 
a. 
the rear person in a tug-of-war team
b.  short for anchorman, anchorwoman
6.  See at anchor
7.  See cast anchor
8.  See drag anchor

9.  See ride at anchor
10.  See weigh anchor
verb
11. 
to use an anchor to hold (a vessel) in one place
12. 
to fasten or be fastened securely; fix or become fixed firmly
13. (transitive) radio, television
to act as an anchorman or anchorwoman on
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English ancor, from Latin ancora, from Greek ankura; related to Greek ankos
bend; compare Latin uncus bent, hooked
Word Frequency


ANCHOR IN AMERICAN ENGLISH

(ˈæŋkər )

noun
1. 
a heavy object, usually a shaped iron weight with flukes, lowered by cable or
chain to the bottom of a body of water to keep a vessel from drifting
2. 
any device that holds something else secure
3. 
anything that gives or seems to give stability or security
4. 
a person who anchors a team, newscast, etc.
adjective
5. 
designating the final leg, or stage, of a relay race
verb transitive
6. 
to keep from drifting, giving way, etc., by or as by an anchor
7. 
to serve as the end person for (a tug-of-war team)
8. 
to serve as the final contestant for (a relay team, bowling team, etc.)
9.  Radio and Television
to serve as coordinator of the various reports and as chief reporter for (a
newscast)
verb intransitive
10. 
to lower the anchor overboard so as to keep from drifting

11. 
to be or become fixed
Idioms:
at anchor
drop anchor
drag anchor
ride at anchor
weigh anchor
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME anker < OE ancor < L anc(h)ora < Gr ankyra, an anchor, hook < IE base *ank-,
to bend > ankle
Word Frequency


ANCHOR IN AMERICAN ENGLISH

(ˈæŋkər)

noun
1. 
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
2. 
any similar device for holding fast or checking motion
an anchor of stones
3. 
any device for securing a suspension or cantilever bridge at either end
4. 
any of various devices, as a metal tie, for binding one part of a structure to
another
5. 
a person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability, or security;
mainstay
Hope was his only anchor
6.  Radio & 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
7. Television
a program that attracts many viewers who are likely to stay tuned to the network
for the programs that follow
8. 
a well-known store, esp. a department store, that attracts customers to the
shopping center in which it is located
9.  See anchors
10. Military
a key position in defense lines
11.  Also: anchorman Sport
a. 
the person on a team, esp. a relay team, who competes last
b. 
the person farthest to the rear on a tug-of-war team
12.  See at anchor

13.  See drag anchor
14.  See drop anchor
15.  See weigh anchor
transitive verb
16. 
to hold fast by an anchor
17. 
to fix or fasten; affix firmly
The button was anchored to the cloth with heavy thread
18. 
to act or serve as an anchor for
He anchored the evening news
intransitive verb
19. 
to drop anchor; lie or ride at anchor
The ship anchored at dawn
20. 
to keep hold or be firmly fixed
The insect anchored fast to its prey
21.  Sport, Radio & Television
to act or serve as an anchor
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries ©
2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
anchorable
adjective
anchorless
adjective
anchorlike
adjective
Word origin
[bef. 900; ME anker, ancre, OE ancor, ancer, ancra (cf. OFris, MD, MLG anker) ‹
L anc(h)ora ‹ Gk ánkȳra]


EXAMPLES OF 'ANCHOR' IN A SENTENCE
ANCHOR

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive
content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent
company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
The court found that the structure had not been fully anchored to the ground.
The Guardian (2022)
You might have to anchor the holly by poking it into the ground.
The Guardian (2021)
We need to anchor ourselves in that.
The Guardian (2019)
The lack of a permanent host to anchor proceedings has also been credited for
declining ratings.
The Guardian (2016)
They have practised hooking it to their sofa as an anchor and throwing it out of
the window.
The Guardian (2021)
Once you've got these anchors in place, they add on the technical bits.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
This is caused by the muscles and tendons that anchor joints in place being lax.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
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)
An area of high pressure is due to move in after Sunday and stay anchored over
the country for the week.
The Sun (2011)



COBUILD COLLOCATIONS
ANCHOR

anchor a boat
anchor cable
anchor chain
anchor line
anchor offshore
anchor point
news anchor
ship anchors
sports anchor
television anchor


TRENDS OF
ANCHOR

View usage for: All Years Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300
years




IN OTHER LANGUAGES
ANCHOR

British English: anchor /ˈæŋkə/ NOUN
An anchor is a heavy hooked object at the end of a chain that is dropped from a
boat into the water to make the boat stay in one place.
 * American English: anchor /ˈæŋkər/
 * Arabic: مِرْسَاة
 * Brazilian Portuguese: âncora
 * Chinese: 锚
 * Croatian: sidro
 * Czech: kotva
 * Danish: anker
 * Dutch: anker
 * European Spanish: ancla
 * Finnish: ankkuri
 * French: ancre
 * German: Anker
 * Greek: άγκυρα
 * Italian: ancora
 * Japanese: 錨
 * Korean: 닻
 * Norwegian: anker
 * Polish: kotwica
 * European Portuguese: âncora
 * Romanian: ancoră
 * Russian: якорь
 * Latin American Spanish: ancla
 * Swedish: ankare fartyg
 * Thai: สมอเรือ
 * Turkish: çapa
 * Ukrainian: якір
 * Vietnamese: mỏ neo

British English: anchor VERB /ˈæŋkə/
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.
 * American English: anchor /ˈæŋkər/
 * Brazilian Portuguese: ancorar
 * Chinese: 使固定
 * European Spanish: anclar
 * French: jeter l'ancre
 * German: ankern
 * Italian: ancorare
 * Japanese: 錨で固定する
 * Korean: 닻을 내리다
 * European Portuguese: ancorar
 * Latin American Spanish: anclar


Translate your text for free


BROWSE ALPHABETICALLY
ANCHOR

 * Anchises
 * ancho
 * ancho chili
 * anchor
 * anchor a boat
 * anchor ball
 * 
   All ENGLISH words that begin with 'A'


RELATED TERMS OF
ANCHOR

 * at anchor
 * co-anchor
 * up-anchor
 * anchor baby
 * anchor ball
 * 
   View more related words


SOURCE

Definition of anchor from the Collins English Dictionary
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Learner's Dictionary: anchor Image of anchor Video pronunciation of anchor
Collins English Dictionary: anchor American English Dictionary (1): anchor
American English Dictionary (2): anchor Example sentences for anchor
Collocations containing anchor Word usage trends Translations of anchor







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