belay

[ bih-ley ]

/ bɪˈleɪ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR belay ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), be·layed, be·lay·ing.

Nautical. to fasten (a rope) by winding around a pin or short rod inserted in a holder so that both ends of the rod are clear.

Mountain Climbing.

to secure (a person) by attaching to one end of a rope.
to secure (a rope) by attaching to a person or to an object offering stable support.

(used chiefly in the imperative)

to cease (an action); stop.
to ignore (an announcement, order, etc.): Belay that, the meeting will be at 0900 instead of 0800.

verb (used without object), be·layed, be·lay·ing.

to belay a rope: Belay on that cleat over there.

noun

Mountain Climbing. a rock, bush, or other object sturdy enough for a running rope to be passed around it to secure a hold.

Words related to belay

quit, end, halt, stay, arrest, stall, cease, cancel, check

Words nearby belay

belarussian, belasco, belated, belau, belaud, belay, belaya, belaya tserkov, belaying cleat, belaying pin, belaúnde

Origin of belay

before 900; Middle English beleggen, Old English belecgan. See be-, lay¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for belay

Finally Tugg sang out to Pedro to belay the work he and the crew were engaged in, and to lower a boat again.
Swept Out to Sea|W. Bertram Foster
"Avast, and belay there with a double turn, goodman host," exclaimed the Captain.
The Knight of the Golden Melice|John Turvill Adams
"You belay," remarked the Captain, turning towards the vermin of Law with profound disdain.
The Strange Adventures of Captain Dangerous, Vol. 3 of 3|George Augustus Sala
By the time a voice on board her cried, "Belay," faintly, she had gone from my sight.
Romance|Joseph Conrad and F.M. Hueffer

Pass the cat-stopper through the ring of the anchor, through the chock, belay it to the cat-tail, and seize it to its own part.
The Seaman's Friend|Richard Henry Dana

British Dictionary definitions for belay

belay

/ (bɪˈleɪ) /

verb -lays, -laying or -layed

nautical to make fast (a line) by securing to a pin, cleat, or bitt

(usually imperative) nautical to stop; cease

(ˈbiːˌleɪ) mountaineering to secure (a climber) to a mountain by tying the rope off round a rock spike, piton, nut, etc

noun

(ˈbiːˌleɪ) mountaineering the attachment (of a climber) to a mountain by tying the rope off round a rock spike, piton, nut, etc, to safeguard the party in the event of a fallSee also running belay

Word Origin for belay

Old English belecgan; related to Old High German bileggen, Dutch beleggen

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012