verb
belay
BEE-lay
verb
1
In climbing, to hold and control the rope so that a falling climber is caught safely.
"She belayed her partner carefully as he worked his way up the cliff face."
2
To secure a rope firmly around a fixed point such as a cleat.
"The sailors belayed the line to a cleat on the deck."
3
As a command, to stop or cancel an action already underway.
""Belay that order," the captain called out, "we're changing course.""
How to Use Belay
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo secure a rope so someone or something is held safe, or as a command, to stop and undo an order.
Memory tip
You will meet this word almost only in sailing and rock-climbing contexts.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
belay a rope
belay a climber
belay that order
Word Forms
belayed past tense, belaid past tense, Belays plural, belays plural, belays singular
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She _____ her partner carefully as he worked his way up the cliff face.
Etymology
From Old English beleccgan, "to lay around, secure" — built from be- ("around") plus lay, later specialised into rope and climbing use.