A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1667
[1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0]
Anker, Ankir, n. Also: ankire, -yr(e, -ere, ancker, ancor, hankar, -er, ancre. [Early ME. anker, -ir, and ancre, OE. ancer (ancor), ancra, OF. ancre.]
l. An anchor.1375 Barb. iii. 691 (ankyrs, rapys, saile and ar). a1400 Legends of the Saints xxi. 867 (ane ankyre rycht hewy). c1400 Troy-bk. i. 191 (that he ger ankeris rasit be). 14.. Acts I. 308 (gif the schippis tweches the erd with anker). c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 51 (the seymen ankyrs wand in). 1512 Treasurer's Accounts IV. 458.
For ane ancor 1512 Ib. 462.
For … irn for mending ancoris1513 Doug. iii. iv. 128 (of our forschip ankyrris leit we down). 1535 Stewart 280 (with anker, saill, and air). a1578 Pitsc. I. 251/20 (mastis and saillis, witht towis and ankeris). 1596 Dalr. II. 307/8 (the frenche schipis beginis to lous thair anker). 1602 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II. 143 (sua that ancker or cabill beis brokin). 1622-6 Bisset II. 246 (to set markis at their hankeris). 1667 Highland P. II. 53 (cutting the tow of the anker).
b. In the phrases to cast, lay, set anker, to mak hankaris, to make or drop anchor, to anchor. See also Wey v. 1398-1400 Aberd. B. Rec. (S.H.S.) 151.
The quilk is ordanit to mak hankaris in the hawync1400 Troy-bk. i. 144 (we sall set ankeres on the sand). c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi. 771 (Sanct Jhonstoun hawyn thair ankyr haiff thai set). 1558-66 Knox II. 12 (making as thai wald cast anker). 1596 Dalr. I. 61/28 (her anker being castne). 1622-6 Bisset II. 245/21 (that ane schip layd anker).
c. At (ane) anker, at anchor, anchored.1425 Acts II. 11/1 (quhen he cumis in ony havin, that he ryde on ankir). 1491 Acts Lords of Council 203/1 (to pruf the schip was at ane ankir). 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 517 (quhair scho wes liand at ane anker). 1570 Leslie 227 (they come befoir Leith and remanit thair at ancre). 1602 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II. 143 (ane vther schip lyand fast at ane anker).
2. Applied fig. to persons.a1400 Legends of the Saints I. 829 (my ankire, my Ioy). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 244 (cuming to thaim as to thair sicker anker). a1578 Pitsc. I. 105/6 (to come as it war to ane sicker anker).
3. Attrib., as ankirheid (= Ankerhald), ankir schank, silver (= anchorage dues). 1494 Treasurer's Accounts I. 248.
For the menden of ane ankyr schank 1572 Irvine Mun. I. 63.
With ankirage and ankirheid upoun the saidis landis 1610 Stirling B. Rec. II. 385.
The custome of the peir and schoir … , with the ankir silver
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Anker n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/anker_n>
