belay

== English == === Etymology 1 === From Middle English beleggen, bileggen, from Old English beleċġan (“to cover, invest, surround, afflict, attribute to, charge with, accuse”), From Proto-West Germanic *bilaggjan, equivalent to be- (“about, around”) +‎ lay. Cognate with Dutch beleggen (“to cover, overlay, belay”), German belegen (“to cover, occupy, belay”), Swedish belägga (“to pave”). ==== Pronunciation ==== Verb: (US) IPA(key): /bɪˈleɪ/ (UK) IPA(key): /ˈbiːleɪ/, /bɪˈleɪ/ Rhymes: -eɪ, (UK) -iːleɪ Noun: IPA(key): /ˈbiːleɪ/ Rhymes: -iːleɪ ==== Verb ==== belay (third-person singular simple present belays, present participle belaying, simple past and past participle belayed or belaid) (ambitransitive, nautical) To make (a rope) fast by turning it around a fastening point such as a cleat. (transitive, climbing) To handle a climbing rope to prevent (a climber) from falling to the ground. (transitive) To lay aside; to stop; to cancel. (intransitive, nautical) The general command to stop or cease. (transitive, obsolete) To surround; to environ; to enclose. (transitive, obsolete) To overlay; to adorn. (transitive, obsolete) To besiege; invest; surround. (transitive, obsolete) To lie in wait for in order to attack; block up or obstruct. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== belay (plural belays) (climbing) The securing of a rope to a rock or other sturdy object. (climbing) The object to which a rope is secured. (climbing) A location at which a climber stops and builds an anchor with which to secure their partner. ===== Derived terms ===== belay device ===== Translations ===== ==== See also ==== Belaying on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Etymology 2 === ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /bɪˈleɪ/ Rhymes: -eɪ ==== Verb ==== belay simple past of belie (“encompass”) === References === “belay”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “belay”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. === Anagrams === Baley, Leyba, Bayle