ANVIL

[Anglo-Saxon anfilt; from an, on, and fealdan, to fold]: (1.) A block of steel against which metals are hammered. The London pattern anvil, which began it's evolution in the 13th century, has been the trademark of farriers and blacksmiths for three centuries. Shop anvils commonly weighed hundreds of pounds, with the largest known being 1400 pounds. Modern farrier anvils often have special features and usually weigh between 50 and 150 pounds. (2.) In human anatomy, the middle bone {incus} in the ear. Anvil shooting: (1.) A recreational practice in which an explosive charge is placed between two anvils and ignited, launching the top anvil as much as 100 feet into the air. a.k.a: Blowing the anvil (2.) Hammering a white-hot piece of iron against a wet anvil. This produces a pistol-shot like sound.