anvil C1 Topic:Tools, Machines & Construction US /ˈænvəl/ UK /ˈænvɪl/ See IPA manual Freq #25979 Meanings 1 noun a heavy iron or steel block on which metal is shaped by hammering The blacksmith placed the glowing bar on the anvil and struck it flat. 2 noun the incus, the middle one of the three small bones in the middle ear The anvil transmits vibrations from the hammer bone to the stirrup. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a heavy iron or steel block... stithy 2 noun · the incus, the middle one... incus Word family Derived forms anvillikeanvilsmith Related forms forgeblacksmithhammerossicle Etymology From Old English anfilte or onfilti, from a West Germanic compound associated with being beaten upon. Its form changed considerably in Middle English before settling as anvil. Topics Tools, Machines & Construction External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # anvil **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈænvəl/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈænvɪl/ **Frequency rank:** 25979 ## Meanings 1. a heavy iron or steel block on which metal is shaped by hammering 2. the incus, the middle one of the three small bones in the middle ear ## Examples - The blacksmith placed the glowing bar on the anvil and struck it flat. - The anvil transmits vibrations from the hammer bone to the stirrup. ## Synonyms - stithy - incus ## Derived Forms - anvillike - anvilsmith ## Related Forms - forge - blacksmith - hammer - ossicle ## Etymology From Old English anfilte or onfilti, from a West Germanic compound associated with being beaten upon. Its form changed considerably in Middle English before settling as anvil. ## Topics - Tools, Machines & Construction markdown