sheet anchor

noun

1

: a large strong anchor formerly carried in the waist of a ship and used as a spare in an emergency

2

: something that constitutes a main support or dependence especially in danger

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier shoot anchor, from Middle English shute anker

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sheet anchor

• anker
• banker
• canker
• hanker
• rancor
• shanker
• tanker