swallow the anchor

English

Verb

swallow the anchor (third-person singular simple present swallows the anchor, present participle swallowing the anchor, simple past and past participle swallowed the anchor)

1. (naval slang) To leave the navy.
   • 2008, Scott Telek, The Ghost Ship, page 184:

     My grand pa was the carpenter on his ship, but had a few years before swallowed the anchor and stepped on land to repair boats.