What does atrip mean?
Atrip is a specialized nautical term describing an anchor that has been raised just clear of the seabed, so that it no longer holds the vessel fast and the ship is free to move. The word can also describe a sail or flag that has been hoisted and is flying freely. In practice, saying that the anchor is atrip signals a precise moment in the work of getting a vessel underway — the point between weighing anchor and actually sailing. The word almost always follows the noun it modifies, as in 'anchor atrip,' giving maritime prose its characteristic cadence. Though rare in everyday speech today, it survives in naval writing, sailing manuals, and sea fiction, where it lends an authentic period flavor. Its narrow technical sense makes it a distinctive addition to any vocabulary of the sea.
(Of an anchor) just clear of the seabed, no longer holding the ship in place.
"The mate reported the anchor atrip and the engine was put astern."
Usually postpositive, following the noun: 'anchor atrip' rather than 'an atrip anchor.'
(Of a sail or flag) hoisted and flying freely.
"The colors were atrip from dawn until sunset."
Less common than the anchor sense; chiefly found in naval and literary contexts.
When sailors say an anchor is 'atrip,' it means the ship is already free to go — one small word marking the exact moment land lets go of you.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of atrip
Atrip arose in English during the seventeenth century, formed by combining the prefix 'a-' (meaning 'in' or 'on,' as in 'afloat' and 'aboard') with the nautical verb 'trip,' which meant to raise an anchor clear of the bottom. The verb 'trip' itself came into English through Old French 'tripper,' ultimately of Germanic origin, originally meaning to hop or step lightly. The compound thus literally conveys the idea of an anchor 'in the act of tripping' free from the sea floor. It belongs to the same family of seagoing 'a-' formations that gave English words like 'adrift' and 'astern.'
How atrip is actually used
Atrip is a technical nautical term, encountered almost exclusively in maritime contexts, historical naval writing, and literature with seafaring settings. It typically follows the noun it modifies (as in 'anchor atrip') and sounds formal or archaic outside sailing usage.
Easily confused with atrip
"Adrip" describes something dripping or letting fall drops of liquid, while "atrip" is a nautical term for an anchor just clear of the bottom or a sail hoisted.