Middle English Dictionary Entry
anker n.
Entry Info
| Forms | anker n. Also ancre, aunkir, ankor, -ur, -ir, ancher, ancour, hanker. |
| Etymology | OE ancor, OF ancre & L anc(h)ora (ult. Gr.). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A ship's anchor; casten, laien, senden out ~; drauen up, halen, highen, pullen up, taken up, weien (up) ~; riden at, bi, on ~; (b) a weight; (c) a fastening device, a mooring.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25539 : Wind wex an honde, ankeres [Otho: ancreas] heo up droȝen.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)39a : As ancre under schipes bord, forte halden þet schip.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)1014 : Hi strike seil & maste & Ankere [Ld: anker; Hrl: ancre] gunne caste.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)256 : Vnneþes heore schip miȝte þerinne come, Aunker for-to caste.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)366 : Þe mariners flet on flod, Til anker hem brast.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 27.40 : Whanne thei hadden takun vp the ancris [WB(2): ankeris].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.606 : It blew and made such tempeste, Non ancher mai the schip areste.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1806 : Whil that he on Ancher rod, The wynd..began to change.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)418 : Hit waltered on þe wylde flod..Withouten mast..Kable oþer capstan to clyppe to her ankrez.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)103 : Cables þay fasten, Wiȝt at þe wyndas weȝen her ankres.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1219 : Iason..And his felawe Hercules..I-charged han hir schipmen haue a-do To hale vp anker.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3431 : Þei cast hanker & bond her schippis strong.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 27.29 : Þei sende foure ankers oute of þo schippe..forto keste þer ankers.
- a1456(1429) Lydg.Mum.Mercers (Trin-C R.3.20)99 : At Thems stronde..Where certayne vesselles nowe by þe anker ryde.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)493 : They weyde vp þeire ankyrs..in Flaundrez þey rowede.
- (1443) Let.Bekynton in RS 56.2238 : The ships riding at ancre.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4605 : Highes in ancer; ffolowe to your fos with a frike wille.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2713 : Wyndis..summe ar..ragy wood, ancour to breke & gabil.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57325 : I bowte of theme iij hankores and iij kabeles.
- (?1467) Acc.Howard in RC 57558 : I have an hanker of myn lyenge in ȝowere towen.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22130 : Sche lyste not dwelle, But gan hir hanker vp to pulle.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)58 : Som that be yonge of mighty power halithe up the ankirs.
b
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)521 : I wile þat he drench be; Abouten his hals an anker god [etc.].
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)241/38 : He made tye an anker to his nekke and made hym to be caste so in-to the see.
c
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)18/10 : Þis bastelle [in þe see] way tyede wit a hundrethe ankers.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1372 : And þat [a timber tower] he fiches..sa fast to þe wall..And band hire..bigly to-gedire With..fyue score aunkirs.
2.
Figurative uses.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.6.19 : Hope..The which as an ankir [L anchoram] we han sikir to the soule.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3780 : Right so farith Love, that selde in oon Holdith his anker.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.60 : Ne overgreet tempest hath nat yit fallen upon the, whan that thyne ancres clyven faste.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)181b/a : Now is tyme for to ende þis sermone in praying..to hym þat haþ gouerned me in shipping or sailyng in it, In drawing up þe Anker [*Ch.(2): ancre].
- ?c1425(c1390) Chaucer Fort.(Benson-Robinson)38 : Yit halt thyn ancre, and yit thou mayst arryve Ther bountee berth the keye.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2501 : Youre anker, which ye in oure haven leyde.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)368/36 : Þou arte þe ende of my byleue & þe anker of myne hope.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.82 : Gode haldyng haþ thyne ankyr hent.
3.
Combs.: (a) anker hok, the fluke of an anchor; (b) ~ man, a sailor in charge of the anchors (stationed in the prow); (c) ~ smith, anchor maker; (d) ~ stok, the crossbar of an anchor.
Associated quotations
a
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)1240 : Her bodyes were like dragones..Þai hade nayles on her clokes, Þat wer lyke anker hokes.
b
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)539/36 : Proreta: ankermon. Prora: þer þe ankermon sit.
c
- (?c1300) Sub.R.Lynn in Nrf.Archaeol.1348 : C. Petrus de Ankersmit.
- (1355) R.Arms Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.14300 : Benedictus Ankersmith.
d
- (1302) *Pipe Roll 30 Ed.I 1m.2b [OD col.] : In vj Anchoris, vj ankerstokes.
- (1346) *Acc.Exch.K.R.25/7 [OD col.] : Pro ij hankerstokkes.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57346 : Paid to Boshe for an anker stokke, x. d.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1417) *For.Acc.(PRO) 8 Hen.V D/1 dorso [OD col.] : Expensis super factura del Rodyr j pompe ij Anker Stokkys.
Note: Antedates 3.(d)--per MJW