1. (n.) 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.

2. (n.) 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.

3. (n.) Fig.: That which gives stability or security; that on which we place dependence for safety.

4. (n.) An emblem of hope.

5. (n.) A metal tie holding adjoining parts of a building together.

6. (n.) 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.

7. (n.) One of the anchor-shaped spicules of certain sponges; also, one of the calcareous spinules of certain Holothurians, as in species of Synapta.

8. (v. t.) To place at anchor; to secure by an anchor; as, to anchor a ship.

9. (v. t.) To fix or fasten; to fix in a stable condition; as, to anchor the cables of a suspension bridge.

10. (v. i.) To cast anchor; to come to anchor; as, our ship (or the captain) anchored in the stream.

11. (v. i.) To stop; to fix or rest.

12. (n.) An anchoret.

Baldt anchor Navy anchor Northill anchor affix anchorage annex attach batten batten down belay berth billet at bind bivouac bower bridle burrow camp cast anchor catch cement chain cinch clamp clinch colonize come to anchor cramp dinghy anchor disembark dock domesticate drag anchor drogue drop anchor drop the hook enchain engraft ensconce entrammel establish residence fasten fasten down fetter fix floating anchor fluke glue graft grapnel grapple gyve hamper handcuff hive hobble hog-tie holdfast hook hopple imbed inhabit kedge kedge anchor kedge off keep house knit lash lash and tie lay anchor leash live at locate mainstay make fast make secure make sure manacle moor mooring mooring buoy moorings move mudhook mushroom anchor nest park peg down people perch picket pin pin down pinion plant populate put in irons put to relocate reside restrain rivet roost rope screw anchor screw up sea anchor secure security set set to set up housekeeping set up shop settle settle down shackle shank sheet anchor sit down slip squat stability stabilizer stand starboard anchor stay at stock straitjacket strap strike root support take residence at take root take up residence tether tie tie down tie up tighten trammel trice up trim