belay

American  

[bih-ley] / bɪˈleɪ /

verb (used with object)

belayed, belaying

1. 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.

2. Mountain Climbing.

   1. to secure (a person) by attaching to one end of a rope.

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

3. (used chiefly in the imperative)

   1. to cease (an action); stop.

   2. to ignore (an announcement, order, etc.).

      Belay that, the meeting will be at 0900 instead of 0800.

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verb (used without object)

belayed, belaying

1. to belay a rope.

   Belay on that cleat over there.

noun

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

belay British  

/ bɪˈleɪ /

verb

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

2. (usually imperative) nautical to stop; cease

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

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noun

1. 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 fall See also running belay

Etymology

Origin of belay

before 900; Middle English beleggen, Old English belecgan. See be-, lay ¹

Example Sentences

I was belaying my friend when he came over and said the word, “Hi.”

From Los Angeles Times

Like rock climbing, the sport entails a rope system — known as belaying — but differs in substantive ways.

From Los Angeles Times

Carrasco called down to make sure the other guide had him “on belay,” as climbers say, and someone shouted back, “No.”

From Los Angeles Times

“I think there’s something about climbing where you’re really trusting your life to your belay partner, your climbing partner, and that lends itself to relationships in a lot of ways,” she said.

From Seattle Times

But it adds that it is a "mess of old, rotting gear that has been left behind at each belay and accumulated over decades of use".

From BBC