It's a phrase that's often misunderstood.
It means to pull up a ship's anchor.
It's the opposite of "to drop anchor".
No more so than "Why is a mouse when it spins." Weigh anchor is a command and a complete sentence in itself. If you were to ask: "Who would weigh anchor the most often?", or "Weigh anchor often.", then you would have a complete sentence without nonsense.
weigh down the anchor
Its' anchor, silly!
1 anchor
The average modern day anchor on medium sized ships is about 60 tons. The average anchor on a large ship is about 100 tons.
Assuming your question is typoed and should read; "What does 'weigh the consequences' mean?" It is a phrase that means consider the probable outcomes of your actions before doing them.
I would like to find another way to weigh the boxes. Actually, you would raise the anchor when you weigh it.
An anchor is a heavy object from a ship attached to along length of chain to hold the ship in one place.
The weight of an anchor can vary depending on its size and design. On average, an anchor used for recreational boating can weigh between 5 pounds (2.3 kg) to 50 pounds (22.7 kg). For larger vessels, the anchor's weight can range from several hundred pounds to several tons.
The links mean nothing. Rope is sometimes portrayed. Either where used to anchor ships in the age of sail.
It is likely inspired by the biblical phrase "hope we have as an anchor of the soul," found in Hebrews, Verse 6:18-19.
Jim Fyffe