Definition

Noun: 1. A large, strong anchor carried as a spare for use in an emergency, especially when a vessel's main anchors have failed. This is the primary and literal nautical meaning. 2. A person or thing that can be relied upon as a last resort in a crisis; a final source of security or hope. This is a figurative extension of the nautical term, representing a dependable last-resort solution.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Literal):
  • The storm was so violent that the crew had to deploy the sheet anchor after the bower anchors dragged.
  • Every well-equipped sailing ship traditionally carried a sheet anchor stowed securely for emergencies.
• Noun (Figurative):
  • In the financial crisis, the central bank's guarantee acted as a sheet anchor for the banking system.
  • Her unwavering principles were his sheet anchor during a period of great moral confusion.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in formal or literary contexts to evoke a sense of traditional reliability and ultimate safety.
• It can be used metaphorically in various fields: "The constitution serves as the sheet anchor of our democracy."

Variants and Related Words

• Synonyms (Literal): spare anchor, emergency anchor, waist anchor (historical).
• Synonyms (Figurative): mainstay, bulwark, last resort, final hope, security.

Idioms and Phrases

• To be one's sheet anchor: To be someone's or something's ultimate source of stability or security.
  • His faith was his sheet anchor throughout his life.

Noun

1. spare anchor for use in emergency