v. [UN-2 4 b. Cf. Du. ontankeren.] trans. To loose from anchor.
1648. Hexham, II. Ontanckert, un-anckred, or, the Ancker wound up.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., To Rdr. 193. Whose Cable Pietie vn-Anchored, Yet fixt her vessell steddie, in the Bed Of many waters meeting.
1847. De Quincey, Span. Mil. Nun, Wks. 1854, III. 10. Now, then, through three-fourths of an hour Kate will have free elbow-room for unanchoring her boat.
refl. and absol. 1878. Dallinger, in Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond., XXVII. 337. [It attaches] itself to one of the springing forms, which at once unanchors itself, and both together swim freely and vigorously about.
[1878. Pop. Sci. Monthly, Aug., 511/2. It soon comes in contact with a colony of the organism in the perfectly flagellate condition, attaches itself to one of them, which soon unanchors, and both swim away.]
