belay

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /bɪˈleɪ/ UK /bɪˈleɪ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like bewray /l/ vs /r/ Sounds like beray /l/ vs /r/

Meanings

1

verb
to secure a rope around a fixed point; to stop or cancel

Belay that order; we are no longer leaving port.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to secure a rope around a... secure fasten fixmake faststop cancel halt

Opposites

release loosen unfasten

Word family

Derived forms belayerbelaying

Related forms lay

Etymology

From Old English belecgan ('to lay around, cover, surround'), from be- + lecgan ('to lay'). The nautical sense 'to make a rope fast' developed in the 16th century.

be- Old English lecgan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# belay

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /bɪˈleɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /bɪˈleɪ/

## Meanings
1. to secure a rope around a fixed point; to stop or cancel

## Examples
- Belay that order; we are no longer leaving port.

## Synonyms
- secure
- fasten
- fix
- make fast
- stop
- cancel
- halt

## Antonyms
- release
- loosen
- unfasten

## Derived Forms
- belayer
- belaying

## Related Forms
- lay

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: be-
- Root: lecgan

## Etymology
From Old English belecgan ('to lay around, cover, surround'), from be- + lecgan ('to lay'). The nautical sense 'to make a rope fast' developed in the 16th century.

## AI Etymology
Belay is from Old English belecgan ('to lay around, cover, surround'), from be- + lecgan ('to lay'). The nautical sense 'to make a rope fast' developed in the 16th century. Important recorded forms include be- (Old English) and lecgan (Old English). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to secure a rope around a fixed point; to stop or cancel. The wider family includes derived forms such as belayer and belaying and related words such as lay.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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