drop anchor meaning: definition, quotations

drop anchor

verb

Nautical, Transport To release the anchor of a ship or boat, allowing it to fall to the bed of a body of water and thereby securing the vessel in place.

To stop travelling and settle down.

[…] had emigrated first to one country, then to another, till he finally dropped anchor in London.1895, Allen Upward, The Prince of Balkistan, page 237:

Euphemistic To defecate.

Junkyard Dog always stopped for lengthy bathroom breaks by announcing his intentions in advance, using a different euphemism every time, saying, to name a few, "I have to: drop anchor... do some paperwork... lay some foundation... pinch a loaf... lighten my load...."2005, John Illig, Pacific Dream, →ISBN, page 204:
And if you think things are bad after opening the piss box, imagine the smell after I drop anchor.2011, Andy Weir, chapter 9, in The Martian, →ISBN, page 95:

1 more example

POSH is the perfect alternative to . . . stopping in a filthy, germ-infested public restroom to drop anchor. . . . Instead, the POSH Stow and Go offers people a private, clean bathroom experience.2014 February 24, Ashley Burns, “A Company Will Soon Offer A VIP Public Restroom In New York City For $8 A Plop”, in UPROXX Web Culture, retrieved 26 Jul 2015: