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aweigh

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aweigh


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Anchor  \An"chor\  ([a^][ng]"k[~e]r),  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. 
 
  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. 
 
  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. 
 
  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 
 
  3.  Fig.:  That  which  gives  stability  or  security;  that  on 
  which  we  place  dependence  for  safety. 
 
  Which  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul.  --Heb. 
  vi  19. 
 
  4.  (Her.)  An  emblem  of  hope. 
 
  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. 
 
  6.  (Zo["o]l.)  One  of  the  anchor-shaped  spicules  of  certain 
  sponges;  also  one  of  the  calcareous  spinules  of  certain 
  Holothurians,  as  in  species  of  {Synapta}. 
 
  {Anchor  ice}.  See  under  {Ice}. 
 
  {Anchor  ring}.  (Math.)  Same  as  {Annulus},  2  (b). 
 
  {Anchor  stock}  (Naut.),  the  crossbar  at  the  top  of  the  shank 
  at  right  angles  to  the  arms. 
 
  {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  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  do  tight  as 
  to  bring  to  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 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Aweigh  \A*weigh"\,  adv  [Pref.  a-  +  weigh.]  (Naut.) 
  Just  drawn  out  of  the  ground,  and  hanging  perpendicularly; 
  atrip;  --  said  of  the  anchor.  --Totten. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  aweigh 
  adj  1:  (used  of  an  anchor)  hanging  clear  of  the  bottom;  "anchors 
  aweigh" 
  2:  (nautical)  of  an  anchor;  just  clear  of  the  bottom  [syn:  {atrip}] 




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