English · Idiom Historical

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Preserved but no longer current.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.

Topics: Fish Sea & boats Historical slang (1800s)

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.

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