ON THE ANVIL, phr. (old colloquial).—In preparation; in hand; ‘on the stocks’; and (the usual modern equivalent) ‘[an iron] in the fire.’ Hence TO ANVIL = to fashion, to prepare.

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  1607.  DEKKER, The Whore of Babylon, F. iij. Whilest our thunderbolts ARE ANVILING abroad.

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  1612.  CHAPMAN, The Widow’s Tears, ii. 1. You know, brother, I have other irons ON THE ANVIL.

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  c. 1623.  FLETCHER, The Lovers Progress, iv. Armour, ANVILLED in the shop Of passive fortitude.

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  1623.  HOWELL, Familiar Letters (1650), II. 29. Matters while they are in agitation and UPON THE ANVIL.

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  c. 1674.  CLARENDON, The History of the Rebellion, I. ii. 110. The Earl of Strafford … whose destruction was then UPON THE ANVIL.

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  c. 1700.  W. DARREL, The Gentlemen Instructed, 303. You are now ANVILLING out some petty Revenge.

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  1748.  RICHARDSON, Clarissa, VIII. 267. A roguery … ready ANVILLED and hammered for execution.

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  1785.  BURKE, Speech on the Nabob of Arcot’s Debts [Works (1842), I. 319]. He has now on THE ANVIL another scheme.

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