See Also: belay(dictionary)
belay(dictionary)

belay (iou)



belay verb & noun.

A. verb.
I.
verb trans. Surround, enclose, adorn, etc., with; beset, beleaguer; waylay. OE-M18.
Spenser A woodmans iacket..Of Lincolne greene, belayd with silver lace. Dryden The speedy Horse all passages belay.
II.
verb trans. & intrans. Nautical. Fix (a rope) round a cleat, pin, etc., to secure it; secure (something) thus. M16.
belaying pin a heavy wooden or iron pin which can be fixed in position for belaying on.
b. In imper., freq. foll. by there: stop! enough! no more of (something)! slang. E19.
transf.
a. verb trans. gen. Make fast, tie, secure. M18.
b. verb trans. & intrans. Mountaineering. Fix (a rope) round a rock, piton, etc.; secure (a climber, oneself) thus. E20.
b. noun. Mountaineering. An act of belaying; the point where this is done. E20.
running belay, thread belay, etc.