/ ˈæŋkə(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a heavy metal object that is attached to a rope or chain and dropped over the side of a ship or boat to keep it in one place :
to drop anchor
The ship lay at anchor two miles off the rocky coast.
We weighed anchor (= pulled it out of the water) .
2.
a person or thing that gives sb a feeling of safety :
the anchor of the family
3.
( especially NAmE ) = anchorman , anchorwoman
■ verb
1.
to let an anchor down from a boat or ship in order to prevent it from moving away :
[ v ]
We anchored off the coast of Spain.
[also vn ]
2.
[ vn ] to fix sth firmly in position so that it cannot move :
Make sure the table is securely anchored.
3.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] anchor sb/sth (in / to sth) to firmly base sth on sth else :
Her novels are anchored in everyday experience.
4.
( NAmE ) to be the person who introduces reports or reads the news on television or radio :
[ vn ]
She anchored the evening news for seven years.
[also v ]
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English ancor , ancra , via Latin from Greek ankura ; reinforced in Middle English by Old French ancre . The current form is from anchora , an erroneous Latin spelling. The verb (from Old French ancrer ) dates from Middle English .