belay

1 of 2

verb

be·​lay bi-ˈlā 

bē-

belayed; belaying

transitive verb

1

a

: to secure (a rope or cable) by turns around a cleat (see cleat entry 1 sense 1b), pin, or bitt

b

: to make fast : to fasten down

belaying ammunition on deck

2

nautical : stop, cancel

belay that last order

3

a

: to secure (a person) at the end of a rope

belay a climber

… belaying each other over the difficult places.

—National Geographic

b

: to secure (a rope) to a person or object

intransitive verb

1

: to be made fast

knowing where each rope belays on deck

2

nautical : stop, quit

—used in the imperative

belay there

3

: to make a line (see line entry 1 sense 1) fast by turns around a cleat, pin, or bitt

belayer

bi-ˈlā-ər 

bē-

noun

belay

2 of 2

noun

1

: the securing of a person or a safety rope to an anchor point (as during mountain climbing)

Belays are more difficult to secure on ice and snow than on rock …

—Kenneth A. Henderson

also : a method of so securing a person or rope

2

: something (such as a projection of rock) to which a person or rope is anchored

Examples of belay in a Sentence

Verb

The climber belayed the rope.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Shop Black Diamond Crack Gloves Arc’teryx Alpha Parka $700 ($1,000) Dress warmer, belay longer (without shivering). —The Editors, Outside Online, 1 Dec. 2024

Mountain Seed cofounder Nathan Schmidt belays a camper. —Kyra Kennedy, Outside Online, 29 Sep. 2024

Noun

Built to withstand the rigors of frigid belays in shady river canyons, the Gore-Tex Infinium outer shell is also water-resistant, breathable, and durable. —Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 27 Nov. 2024

The hope is that his performance opens eyes — both to the traditionalists in the sport who scoff at speed climbing as a lesser version of the other disciplines as well as people who’ve never considered clipping into a belay and making that first move. —Chantel Jennings, The Athletic, 7 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English beleggen to beset, from Old English belecgan, from be- + lecgan to lay

Noun

noun derivative of belay entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

belay

verb

be·​lay

bi-ˈlā

1

: to make (as a rope) fast by turns around a cleat or pin

2

: cease, stop