belay
English
/ˈbiːleɪ/, /bɪˈleɪ/, /ˈbiːleɪ/
verb
Definitions
- (transitive) To surround; environ; enclose.
- (transitive) To overlay; adorn.
- (transitive) To besiege; invest; surround.
- (transitive) To lie in wait for in order to attack; block up or obstruct.
- (nautical) To make (a rope) fast by turning it around a fastening point such as a cleat or piton.
- (transitive) To secure (a person) to a rope or (a rope) to a person.
- (transitive) To lay aside; stop; cancel.
- (intransitive)
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English beleggen inherited from Old English beleċġan (cover, invest, surround, attribute to, afflict, accuse, charge with) prefix from English lay (meadow).
Origin
English
lay
Gloss
meadow
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- allay English
- belayer English
- flatlay English
- forelay English
- forlay English
- inlay English
- interlay English
- lay English
- lay down English
- lay judge English
- lay out English
- layabout English
- layback English
- layer English
- layest English
- layeth English
- layflat English
- layland English
- layless English
- layman English
- layout English
- layover English
- layperson English
- layshaft English
- layship English
- laystall English
- laytime English
- layup English
- laywoman English
- mislay English
- offlay English
- onlay English
- outlay English
- overlay English
- pipelay English
- prelay English
- re-lay English
- underlay English
- unlay English
- uplay English
- waylay English
- be German
- belegbar German
- belegen German
- legen German
- beleggen Dutch, Flemish
- belegger Dutch, Flemish
- belegging Dutch, Flemish
- belegsel Dutch, Flemish
- leggen Dutch, Flemish
- belägga Swedish
- lägga Swedish
- receptbelägga Swedish
- beleċġan Old English
- beleggen Middle English
- layen Middle English
- belægge Danish
- lægge Danish
- beleggen Middle Dutch
- lay
- layup
- uplay
- layer
- inlay
- allay
- unlay
- onlay
- prelay
- forlay
- layeth
- layout
- re-lay
- outlay
- waylay
- layman
- layest
- mislay
- offlay
- flatlay
- layflat
- laytime
- layship
- overlay
- belayer
- forelay
- lay out
- layless
- layback
- pipelay
- layover
- layland
- layshaft
- interlay
- laystall
- layabout
- lay down
- underlay
- laywoman
- layperson
- lay judge