# mooring

**Pronunciation:** /ˈmɔːrɪŋ/ · MOR-ing

**CEFR level:** B1

**Part of speech:** noun

## Meaning 1: Nautical

A fixed rope, chain, or anchor used to keep a boat or ship in one place.

## Examples

- The ship dropped anchor and secured its moorings in the calm bay.
- We checked the boat's moorings after the storm passed through.
- A buoy marked the mooring spot for visiting yachts.

## Meaning 2: Figurative

A state of emotional or mental stability; a source of security.

## Examples

- Finding a good job provided her with a much-needed mooring.
- His family was his only mooring in a difficult life.
- The community offered a sense of mooring for the displaced residents.

## Synonyms

- anchor — A heavy object dropped to the seabed to prevent movement.
- fastening — A general term for something that holds things together.
- tether — A rope or chain used to restrain an animal or object.

## Antonyms

- drift — To move passively without control.
- unmooring — The act of releasing a boat from its moorings.

## Common patterns

- mooring for — The designated spot or equipment used for securing a vessel. — This buoy serves as a mooring for small sailboats.
- drop anchor — To lower an anchor from a ship or boat to the seabed to prevent it from moving. — The ship will drop anchor in the harbor at dawn.

## Collocations

- secure moorings — The captain ordered the crew to secure the moorings before the storm hit.
- drop anchor — We decided to drop anchor near the island for the night.

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/mooring

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