Where does “sheet anchor” come from?

sheet anchor (English) comes from English anchor, from Middle English anker, from Old English ancor, from Proto-West Germanic *ankurō, from Proto-Germanic ankurô, from Latin ancōra, from Ancient Greek Ἄγκυρα, from Proto-Indo-European ang- — joint; corner, hirn; joint; lith.

sheet anchor (English): a large, spare anchor used in an emergency; a...

Definitions

  1. a large, spare anchor used in an emergency; a...

Ancestry of “sheet anchor”, step by step

sheet anchor traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English anchor

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishanchorA tool used to moor a vessel to the bottom of a...
2Middle Englishankeranchor
3Old Englishancoranchor
4Proto-West Germanic*ankurōanchor
5Proto-Germanicankurôanchor
6Latinancōraanchor (tool to keep a vessel from drifting)
7Ancient GreekἌγκυραAncyra; Angora; Ankara, Turkey
8Proto-Indo-Europeanang-joint; corner, hirn; joint; lith

via English shoot

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshootTo launch a projectile; To move or act quickly or...
2Middle Englishshoten
3Old Englishsċēotanto shoot
4Proto-West Germanicskeutanto shoot
5Proto-Germanicskeutanąto shoot
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kewd-to advance, push; to drive, propel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ang-Every word from Ancient Greek ἌγκυραEvery word from Latin ancōra
sheet anchor — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer