ANCHOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does anchor mean? 

• ANCHOR (noun)
  The noun ANCHOR has 3 senses:

1. a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving

2. a central cohesive source of support and stability

3. a television reporter who coordinates a broadcast to which several correspondents contribute

  Familiarity information: ANCHOR used as a noun is uncommon.

• ANCHOR (verb)
  The verb ANCHOR has 2 senses:

1. fix firmly and stably

2. secure a vessel with an anchor

  Familiarity information: ANCHOR used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ANCHOR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

anchor; ground tackle

Hypernyms ("anchor" is a kind of...):

claw; hook (a mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold or pull something)

Meronyms (parts of "anchor"):

flue; fluke (flat bladelike projection on the arm of an anchor)

shank; stem (cylinder forming a long narrow part of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "anchor"):

grapnel; grapnel anchor (a light anchor for small boats)

mooring anchor (an anchor used to hold a mooring buoy or a channel marker in place)

mushroom anchor (an anchor used for semipermanent moorings; has a bowl-shaped head that will dig in however it falls)

sheet anchor; waist anchor (spare anchor for use in emergency)

Holonyms ("anchor" is a part of...):

vessel; watercraft (a craft designed for water transportation)

Derivation:

anchor (secure a vessel with an anchor)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A central cohesive source of support and stability

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

anchor; backbone; keystone; linchpin; lynchpin; mainstay

Context example:

he is the linchpin of this firm

Hypernyms ("anchor" is a kind of...):

support (something providing immaterial assistance to a person or cause or interest)

Derivation:

anchor (fix firmly and stably)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A television reporter who coordinates a broadcast to which several correspondents contribute

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

anchor; anchorman; anchorperson

Hypernyms ("anchor" is a kind of...):

television newscaster; television reporter; TV newsman; TV reporter (someone who reports news stories via television)

• ANCHOR (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they anchor    ... he / she / it anchors   
Past simple: anchored   
Past participle: anchored   
-ing form: anchoring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fix firmly and stably

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

anchor; ground

Context example:

anchor the lamppost in concrete

Hypernyms (to "anchor" is one way to...):

fasten; fix; secure (cause to be firmly attached)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

anchor (a central cohesive source of support and stability)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Secure a vessel with an anchor

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

anchor; cast anchor; drop anchor

Context example:

We anchored at Baltimore

Hypernyms (to "anchor" is one way to...):

fasten; fix; secure (cause to be firmly attached)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

anchor (a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving)

anchorage (the act of anchoring)

anchorage (place for vessels to anchor)

 Context examples 

It acts as an anchor for an artificial tooth or teeth.

(Dental implant, NCI Dictionary)

Desmosomes are intercellular anchoring junctions that anchor intermediate filaments at membrane-associated plaques in adjoining cells.

(Desmosome, NCI Thesaurus)

B peptide anchors the protein to epithelia; A peptide enters the cytoplasm and activates adenylate cyclase.

(Cholera Toxin, NCI Thesaurus)

The elevated concentration of cAMP activates PKA, which is anchored near CFTR via interaction with Ezrin.

(CFTR Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Protein kinase A regulatory subunit RII-alpha (PKA-RIIa) is tightly bound to centrosomal structures during interphase through interaction with the A-kinase anchoring protein AKAP350 (also known as AKAP450 and CGNAP), MAP2 and Pericentrin.

(Centrosome Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

This protein is involved in anchoring the cytoskeleton to the plasma membrane in muscle cells.

(Dystrophin, NCI Thesaurus)

A family of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins that are involved in forward and reverse cell-cell signaling through binding to ephrin-A receptors (EPHA).

(Ephrin-A, NCI Thesaurus)

A small screw of between 6-14mm in length placed between the roots of a tooth for purposes of anchoring the tooth during orthodontic treatment.

(Miniscrew Temporary Anchorage Device, NCI Thesaurus)

These interactions result in further proteolysis and the conjugation of a phospholipid anchor to form the membrane localized LC3-II.

(Microtubule-Associated Proteins 1A/1B Light Chain 3-II, NCI Thesaurus)

They anchor actin filaments from terminal sarcomeres and transmit contractile force between myocytes.

(Fascia Adherens, NCI Thesaurus)