1. (noun)anchor, ground tackle a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving
2. (noun)anchor, mainstay, keystone, backbone, linchpin, lynchpin a central cohesive source of support and stability "faith is his anchor"; "the keystone of campaign reform was the ban on soft money"; "he is the linchpin of this firm"
3. (verb)anchor, anchorman, anchorperson a televisionreporter who coordinates a broadcast to which several correspondents contribute
4. (verb)anchor, ground fix firmly and stably "anchor the lamppost in concrete"
5. (verb)anchor, cast anchor, drop anchor secure a vessel with an anchor "We anchored at Baltimore"
6. (noun)ANCHOR 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. (noun)ANCHOR one of the anchor-shaped spicules of certain sponges; also, one of the calcareous spinules of certain Holothurians, as in species of Synapta
8. (noun)ANCHOR an anchoret
9. (verb)ANCHOR to place at anchor; to secure by an anchor; as, to anchor a ship
10. (verb)ANCHOR to fix or fasten; to fix in a stable condition; as, to anchor the cables of a suspension bridge
11. (verb)ANCHOR to cast anchor; to come to anchor; as, our ship (or the captain) anchored in the stream