An anvil is a basic tool. In the simplest terms it is a block with a hard surface on which another object is struck. The inertia of the anvil allows the energy of the striking tool to be transferred to the work piece.
OmegaWiki Dictionary
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anvil A heavy iron block used by a blacksmith as a surface upon which metal can be struck and shaped.
anvil A bone in the middle ear, in between the malleus and the stapes.