In nautical terminology, describing an anchor that is just beginning to break free from the bottom of the sea or harbor.
From 'a-' prefix (meaning 'in a state of') + 'trip' (origin uncertain, possibly from Dutch trippen 'to move briskly'). A nautical term from the 17th century.
When a ship's anchor is 'atrip,' the captain knows they're moments away from being able to sail—it's a word that shows how sailors developed specialized vocabulary for every stage of ship operations.
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