to fish the anchor
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A nautical term meaning to draw up the flukes to the bulwarks after the anchor has been "catted.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to fish the anchor” mean?
A nautical term meaning to draw up the flukes to the bulwarks after the anchor has been "catted.
Is “to fish the anchor” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.