An old unit of liquid measure (roughly 8-10 gallons) used in Dutch and other Northern European countries for wine, beer, or spirits.
From Dutch 'anker', related to German 'Anker'. The term entered English through trade in the 1600s-1700s. Related to the word 'anchor' but with a different origin—this comes from a Scandinavian/Germanic root referring to a vessel or jug.
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