Question: A word meaning "drop anchor"?

(Posted by: on 2010-08-13 21:55:53)

Posted by: jc on 2010-08-14, 02:09:43

In a short sentence: Letting it go (dropping it) over the port or starboard side of the boat.

Posted by: 45 auto on 2010-08-14, 08:21:04

Taking a dump. Imagine yourself as a boat and the harbor is a toilet. When boats enter the harbor, what do they do? They drop anchor.

Posted by: Capt. John on 2010-08-14, 09:31:54

Don't know, and never heard of a one word meaning for "drop anchor ". The command from the bridge would simply be "drop anchor(s) ". Anchor "aweigh " however is the opposite. So an easy way to remember, is that the term "anchors aweigh " is when you lift the anchor(s) "away " from (or off) the bottom.

Posted by: JaneM on 2010-08-14, 09:38:28

Shame on you. its not nice to cheat at crosswords.

Posted by: Girly Brains on 2010-08-16, 16:29:36

Not if you mean as an alternative to the command: "let go the anchor cable ". But it's quite acceptable in the right context, to use the single word "moor " when meaning 'to drop anchor'. And in such context it is more appropriate: "We shall weather the headland and moor in the shelter of the bay " ... as it is on its own of course: "We shall weather the headland and anchor in the shelter of the bay ". "We shall weather the headland and drop anchor in the shelter of the bay ", while perfectly acceptable, doesn't work so well because it is a command. As opposed to an intention. But equally, you wouldn't too often hear "anchor! " used as a single-word command. So it would be used as a noun and supported with something advising what to do with it or where to put it (!): "drop anchor ", or "away anchor ", or "anchors away " or "let go the anchor ". All of which are commands to let go the cable. "Weigh anchor " of course, is the command to do the opposite and haul it up again. It also denotes the intention to leave the current mooring. In which context and in similar style to how we arrived, it is often shortened again to just the one word: "We shall weigh at the first sign of daylight and sail on the ebb ".