belayern.

1927 Alpine Jrnl. 39 85 The usual shouts of ‘Come on’, after the rope was belayed and the warning ‘2 ft.’ from the belayer when he had nearly paid out all his rope.

1942 K. A. Henderson Handbk. Amer. Mountaineering i. 16 In any fall the belayer should endeavor to take in quickly as much rope as possible.

1996 City Paper (Baltimore) 22 May 19/3 Dan served as Linda's belayer, the person who handles the ropes to which the climber is tethered, gathers rope as the climber ascends, lets out slack as the climber descends, and catches the climber should he or she slip.

2012 N.Z. Herald (Nexis) 22 Sept. I can instantly see how important the job of the belayer is... John doesn't let his concentration waver for a moment.