Definition: The word "anvil" comes from Norse, meaning "hammer," with "ants" as the root (also pronounced "ant"). It's used in English to mean a heavy wooden or metal object which is usually used for hammering wood or other objects. Anvilling is often related to woodworking or carpentry and refers to any tool that is made of iron or steel, such as anvil, chisel, saw, etc., and is commonly found in tools and machinery.