anchorage

anchorage — noun

1. an area of water that is safe for boats and ships to drop anchor and remain ther

1.nounB2
Definition

an area of water that is safe for boats and ships to drop anchor and remain there.

Example

At dawn, the fishing boats moved into a quiet anchorage behind Green Island.

anchorage in + protected water

By sunset, the captain found safe anchorage near the mouth of the river.

find safe anchorage

Common collocations
  • safe anchorage
  • sheltered anchorage
  • open anchorage
  • find anchorage
Synonyms
  • harbor

    broader; can include docks, buildings, and a town area, not just the anchoring water

  • roadstead

    more formal nautical word for an open place where ships can anchor

  • mooring

    often points to the place or equipment used to tie up a boat rather than simply drop anchor

Grammar Patterns

anchorage in + body of water

find anchorage

safe / sheltered / open anchorage

Usage Note

Usually names a water area and is often modified by words such as 'safe', 'open', or 'sheltered'. Unlike 'harbor', it does not suggest docks, buildings, or town facilities.

Common Mistakes

The captain found an anchorage place near the island.
The captain found an anchorage near the island.
'anchorage' already names the place where boats can anchor.

2. a point on a wall, frame, or other structure where a rope, cable, or similar thi

2.nounC1
Definition

a point on a wall, frame, or other structure where a rope, cable, or similar thing is fixed tightly.

Example

The workers checked each anchorage before lifting the glass wall into place.

anchorage as a structural fixing point

A steel anchorage held the bridge cable against the concrete tower.

steel anchorage holding a bridge cable

Common collocations
  • bridge cable anchorage
  • steel anchorage
  • anchorage for a rope
  • hidden anchorage
Synonyms
  • attachment point

    plain and general for the spot where something is fixed

  • fixing point

    common in technical instructions and building work

  • anchor point

    especially common for ropes, safety lines, and climbing gear

Grammar Patterns

anchorage for + rope / cable

anchorage on + wall / frame

steel / bridge / cable anchorage

Usage Note

Often followed by 'for' + the rope, cable, or object being fixed. Distinguish from sense 4: this sense names the exact place of attachment, not the securing action or its quality.

Common Mistakes

Check the anchorage of the safety rope on the wall.
Check the anchorage for the safety rope on the wall.
when you mean the fixing point, 'anchorage' is often followed by 'for' + the thing attached.

3. the largest city in Alaska, in the south-central part of the state.

3.noun
Definition

the largest city in Alaska, in the south-central part of the state.

Example

My cousin moved to Anchorage for a nursing job at the city hospital.

move to Anchorage

In winter, Anchorage gets only a few hours of daylight.

Anchorage as subject in climate context

Common collocations
  • in Anchorage
  • move to Anchorage
  • flight to Anchorage

Grammar Patterns

in Anchorage

to Anchorage

from Anchorage

Usage Note

Used as a proper place name. In travel and news writing, it commonly appears after prepositions such as 'in', 'to', and 'from'.

4. the act of fixing something firmly in place, or the state of being held there se

4.nounC1
Definition

the act of fixing something firmly in place, or the state of being held there securely.

Example

Proper anchorage of the tent poles kept the shelter standing all night.

anchorage of + object

The report blamed poor anchorage for the fence falling in strong wind.

poor anchorage showing failure

Common collocations
  • firm anchorage
  • poor anchorage
  • proper anchorage
  • anchorage of the rope
Synonyms
  • securing

    general word for fastening something so it stays in place

  • fastening

    slightly broader; can refer to the act or method of fixing something

  • grip

    more everyday; focuses on how firmly something holds

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

anchorage of + object

firm / proper / poor anchorage

anchorage in + material

Usage Note

Often followed by 'of' + the thing being held, or modified by words such as 'firm', 'poor', and 'proper'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about the securing itself or its strength, not the physical point of attachment.

Common Mistakes

Poor anchorage point made the sign fall.
Poor anchorage made the sign fall.
this sense refers to how securely something is fixed, not to the exact fixing point.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Anchorage' is a nautical word for a stretch of water where a boat or ship can stop by dropping anchor. 'Harbor' is broader: it can mean the water, the docks, and the town facilities around them. 'Mooring' often points to the exact place or equipment used to tie up a boat, so it is more specific than 'anchorage'. 'Haven' stresses safety and shelter, sometimes in a figurative way as well. 'Roadstead' is the most formal of the group and is often used for an open anchoring area outside a harbor. So a captain might look for safe anchorage for the night, pay for a mooring at the marina, and enter the harbor in the morning.

anchorage ↗harbor ↗mooringhaven ↗roadstead

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Formed in English from 'anchor' and the noun suffix '-age'. The base word 'anchor' came into English from Latin 'anchora', ultimately from Greek 'ankyra', both referring to the hooked object used to hold a ship in place. The suffix '-age' often creates nouns for a place, an action, or a result, which helps explain why 'anchorage' can mean a water area for ships, a fixing point, or the securing itself.