[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

anchor \an"chor\ a^ng"k~er, n. oe. anker, as. ancor,
   oncer, l. ancora, sometimes spelt anchora, fr. gr. 'a`gkyra,
   akin to e. angle: cf. f. ancre. see angle, n.
   1. a iron instrument which is attached to a ship by a cable
      rope or chain, and which, being cast overboard, lays
      hold of the earth by a fluke or hook and thus retains the
      ship in a particular station.
      1913 webster

   note: the common anchor consists of a straight bar called a
         shank, having at one end a transverse bar called a
         stock, above which is a ring for the cable, and at the
         other end the crown, from which branch out two or more
         arms with flukes, forming with the shank a suitable
         angle to enter the ground.
         1913 webster

   note: formerly the largest and strongest anchor was the sheet
         anchor hence, fig., best hope or last refuge, called
         also waist anchor. now the bower and the sheet anchor
         are usually alike. then came the best bower and the
         small bower so called from being carried on the bows.
         the stream anchor is one fourth the weight of the bower
         anchor. kedges or kedge anchors are light anchors used
         in warping.
         1913 webster

   2. any instrument or contrivance serving a purpose like that
      of a ship's anchor, as an arrangement of timber to hold a
      dam fast; a contrivance to hold the end of a bridge cable,
      or other similar part; a contrivance used by founders to
      hold the core of a mold in place.
      1913 webster

   3. fig.: that which gives stability or security; that on
      which we place dependence for safety.
      1913 webster

            which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. --heb.
                                                  vi. 19.
      1913 webster

   4. her. an emblem of hope.
      1913 webster

   5. arch.
      a a metal tie holding adjoining parts of a building
          together.
      b carved work, somewhat resembling an anchor or
          arrowhead; -- a part of the ornaments of certain
          moldings. it is seen in the echinus, or egg-and-anchor
          called also egg-and-dart, egg-and-tongue
          ornament.
          1913 webster

   6. zool. one of the anchor-shaped spicules of certain
      sponges; also, one of the calcareous spinules of certain
      holothurians, as in species of synapta.
      1913 webster

   6. television an achorman, anchorwoman, or
      anchorperson.
      1913 webster

   anchor ice. see under ice. 

   anchor light see the vocabulary.

   anchor ring. math. same as annulus, 2 b.

   anchor shot see the vocabulary.

   anchor space see the vocabulary.

   anchor stock naut., the crossbar at the top of the shank
      at right angles to the arms.

   anchor watch see the vocabulary.

   the anchor comes home, when it drags over the bottom as the
      ship drifts.

   foul anchor, the anchor when it hooks, or is entangled
      with, another anchor, or with a cable or wreck, or when
      the slack cable is entangled.

   the anchor is acockbill, when it is suspended
      perpendicularly from the cathead, ready to be let go.

   the anchor is apeak, when the cable is drawn in so tight as
      to bring the ship directly over it.

   the anchor is atrip, or aweigh, when it is lifted out of
      the ground.

   the anchor is awash, when it is hove up to the surface of
      the water.

   at anchor, anchored.

   to back an anchor, to increase the holding power by laying
      down a small anchor ahead of that by which the ship rides,
      with the cable fastened to the crown of the latter to
      prevent its coming home.

   to cast anchor, to drop or let go an anchor to keep a ship
      at rest.

   to cat the anchor, to hoist the anchor to the cathead and
      pass the ring-stopper.

   to fish the anchor, to hoist the flukes to their resting
      place called the bill-boards, and pass the shank
      painter.

   to weigh anchor, to heave or raise the anchor so as to sail
      away.
      1913 webster
see also:
angle waist anchor egg-and-dart egg-and-tongue synapta achorman 
anchorwoman anchorperson anchor ice ice anchor light 
anchor ring annulus anchor shot anchor space anchor stock 
anchor watch the anchor comes home foul anchor the anchor is acockbill the anchor is apeak 
the anchor is atrip aweigh the anchor is awash at anchor to back an anchor 
to cast anchor to cat the anchor to fish the anchor to weigh anchor 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

back \back\ ba^k, v. t. imp.  p. p. backed ba^kt; p.
   pr.  vb. n. backing.
   1913 webster
   1. to get upon the back of; to mount.
      1913 webster

            i will back him a horse straight.   --shak.
      1913 webster

   2. to place or seat upon the back. r.
      1913 webster

            great jupiter, upon his eagle backed,
            appeared to me.                       --shak.
      1913 webster

   3. to drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede;
      as, to back oxen.
      1913 webster

   4. to make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back
      books.
      1913 webster

   5. to adjoin behind; to be at the back of.
      1913 webster

            a garden . . . with a vineyard backed. --shak.
      1913 webster

            the chalk cliffs which back the beach. --huxley.
      1913 webster

   6. to write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to
      indorse; as, to back a note or legal document.
      1913 webster

   7. to support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or
      influence; as, to back a friend. "the parliament would be
      backed by the people." --macaulay.
      1913 webster

            have still found it necessary to back and fortify
            their laws with rewards and punishments. --south.
      1913 webster

            the mate backed the captain manfully. --blackw. mag.
      1913 webster

   8. to bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse.
      1913 webster

   to back an anchor naut., to lay down a small anchor ahead
      of a large one, the cable of the small one being fastened
      to the crown of the large one.

   to back the field, in horse racing, to bet against a
      particular horse or horses, that some one of all the other
      horses, collectively designated "the field", will win.

   to back the oars, to row backward with the oars.

   to back a rope, to put on a preventer.

   to back the sails, to arrange them so as to cause the ship
      to move astern.

   to back up, to support; to sustain; as, to back up one's
      friends.

   to back a warrant law, is for a justice of the peace, in
      the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or
      indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend
      an offender.

   to back water naut., to reverse the action of the oars,
      paddles, or propeller, so as to force the boat or ship
      backward.
      1913 webster
see also:
backed backing to back an anchor to back the field to back the oars to back a rope 
to back the sails to back up to back a warrant to back water 

Anchor >> A Words
Anchor, definition of term: Anchor
anchor_pag1.html

Back >> B Words
Back, definition of term: Back
back_pag1.html

Back Link >> B Words
Back Link, definition of term: Back Link
back+link_pag1.html

Back Up >> B Words
Back Up, definition of term: Back Up
back+up_pag1.html

Back Off >> B Words
Back Off, definition of term: Back Off
back+off_pag1.html

Back End >> B Words
Back End, definition of term: Back End
back+end_pag1.html

Back Out >> B Words
Back Out, definition of term: Back Out
back+out_pag1.html

Back Door >> B Words
Back Door, definition of term: Back Door
back+door_pag1.html

Anchor Point >> A Words
Anchor Point, definition of term: Anchor Point
anchor+point_pag1.html

Back Country >> B Words
Back Country, definition of term: Back Country
back+country_pag1.html

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