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Webster 1913 Edition


Belay

Be-lay′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Belaid
,
Belayed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Belaying
.]
[For senses 1 & 2, D.
beleggen
to cover, belay; akin to E. pref.
be-
, and
lay
to place: for sense 3, OE.
beleggen
, AS.
belecgan
. See pref.
Be-
, and
Lay
to place.]
1.
To lay on or cover; to adorn.
[Obs.]
Jacket . . .
belayed
with silver lace.
Spenser.
2.
(Naut.)
To make fast, as a rope, by taking several turns with it round a pin, cleat, or kevel.
Totten.
3.
To lie in wait for with a view to assault. Hence: to block up or obstruct.
[Obs.]
Dryden.
Belay thee!
Stop.

Webster 1828 Edition


Belay

BELA'Y

,
Verb.
T.
[This word is composed of be and lay, to lay to, lay by, or close. See Beleaguer.]
1.
To block up, or obstruct.
2.
To place in ambush.
3.
To adorn, surround, or cover.
4.
In seamanship, to fasten, or make fast, by winding a rope round a cleat, kevil, or belaying-pin. It is chiefly applied to the running rigging.

Definition 2024


belay

belay

English

Verb

belay (third-person singular simple present belays, present participle belaying, simple past and past participle belayed or belaid)

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To surround; environ; inclose.
  2. (transitive, obsolete) To overlay; adorn.
    • Spenser
      jacket [] belayed with silver lace
  3. (transitive, obsolete) To besiege; invest; surround.
  4. (transitive, obsolete) To lie in wait for in order to attack; block up or obstruct.
  5. (transitive) To make (a rope) fast by turning it round a fastening point such as a cleat or piton.
  6. (transitive) To secure (a person) to a rope or (a rope) to a person.
    He would need an experienced partner to belay him on the difficult climbs.
  7. (transitive) To lay aside; stop; cancel.
    I could only hope the remaining piton would belay his fall.
    Belay that order!
  8. (intransitive, nautical) The general command to stop or cease.
  9. (intransitive, nautical) To make a line fast by turns around a cleat, pin, or bitt.

Translations

Noun

belay (plural belays)

  1. (climbing) The securing of a rope to a rock or other projection.
  2. (climbing) The object to which a rope is secured.
  3. (climbing) A location at which a climber stops and builds an anchor with which to secure their partner.