Aweigh

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /əˈweɪ/

Definitions

1. The term refers to the situation in which an anchor is raised and no longer touching the seabed, indicating a ship's readiness to navigate freely at sea
2. The term indicates the condition of an anchor that has been hoisted above the seabed, signifying that a vessel is ready to set sail without any restrictions due to its anchor's position
3. Describes an anchor that has been lifted off the bottom, allowing the ship to move freely

Etymology: "Aweigh" is built from the prefix "a-" and the verb "weigh," and the combination describes an anchor that has just been lifted clear of the seabed. The verb "weigh" in this sense comes from the older nautical idea of heaving up an anchor, so the anchor is said to be "weighed" when it is raised, and "a-" here works like the "a-" in "afoot" or "ashore," marking a state or position. The word is almost always used with "anchor" in mind, which is why it reads as a single condition rather than a movement. A ship is "anchors aweigh" once the anchor has left the bottom and the vessel is free to move, and the phrase has long been the sailor's signal that departure can begin.

Synonyms: suspended, aloft

Antonyms: down, grounded