belay
1 of 2verb
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
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
noun bē-
belay
2 of 2noun
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
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
Example Sentences
Verb The climber belayed the rope.
Recent Examples on the Web Outside Online, 20 Dec. 2018 Over four and a half hours, Rocky Mountain Rescue volunteers were able to stabilize Mackey and belay him down to a wheeled litter. The Editors, Outside Online, 26 May 2015 Half of each rover would anchor to the rim, then belay its partner down to the main lander on the crater floor. Chris Wright, Wired, 15 June 2021 Don't belay, chalk up those hands (sorry, not sorry). Lizz Schumer, Good Housekeeping, 26 Mar. 2020 The follower has to climb and remove gear from the wall while also belaying the leader. Grayson Schaffer, Outside Online, 26 Nov. 2019 Three took off at any one time, belayed by their successors, in lanes marked with red and white tape. Simon Akam, Outside Online, 27 Nov. 2019 Sport climbing involves climbing heights of 40 feet or higher with a rope and belaying partner. Jen Murphy, WSJ, 26 Jan. 2019 Trying to climb tougher grades should be a part of your efforts to improve, but focusing only on the numbers can ruin the fun for you and your belaying best friends. Emily Abbate, GQ, 20 June 2018 Matt Jancer, WIRED, 1 Sep. 2022 People in belay glasses are now routine along the bases of popular walls, like the audience in a 3-D theater. Alison Osius, Outside Online, 22 Aug. 2022 In 2012, while climbing on Utah’s Castleton Tower, a young man fell and decked, landing headfirst right next to me on the belay ledge at the top of the first pitch, immediately twisting into a seizure before losing consciousness. Brendan Leonard, Outside Online, 30 May 2020 The small and lightweight Physic takes up less space on your harness than a traditional belay biner. Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 27 May 2022 Lowe never patented the design, and as a result the tubular belay device design is still made by numerous manufacturers. Andrew Freeman, Outside Online, 21 May 2012 After drifting to the ground on the auto-belay, Condie looked up at the wall and raised her hands in a gesture of frustration. Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Aug. 2021 Porta-ledges—hanging platforms that give climbers room to set up a belay station when a flat surface isn't available—are an adventurous choice. Nicole Kliest, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 June 2021 Adults can ride the zipline canopy tour, which includes eight ziplines, a swinging sky bridge and treetop towers up to 60 feet all while being attached to a continuous belay system. Hannah Drown, cleveland, 9 June 2021 See More
Verb
When Tim descended to belay Jason, JJ grabbed him excitedly by the arm. Outside Online, 20 Dec. 2018 Over four and a half hours, Rocky Mountain Rescue volunteers were able to stabilize Mackey and belay him down to a wheeled litter. The Editors, Outside Online, 26 May 2015 Half of each rover would anchor to the rim, then belay its partner down to the main lander on the crater floor. Chris Wright, Wired, 15 June 2021 Don't belay, chalk up those hands (sorry, not sorry). Lizz Schumer, Good Housekeeping, 26 Mar. 2020 The follower has to climb and remove gear from the wall while also belaying the leader. Grayson Schaffer, Outside Online, 26 Nov. 2019 Three took off at any one time, belayed by their successors, in lanes marked with red and white tape. Simon Akam, Outside Online, 27 Nov. 2019 Sport climbing involves climbing heights of 40 feet or higher with a rope and belaying partner. Jen Murphy, WSJ, 26 Jan. 2019 Trying to climb tougher grades should be a part of your efforts to improve, but focusing only on the numbers can ruin the fun for you and your belaying best friends. Emily Abbate, GQ, 20 June 2018 Noun
The archetypical belay device is still the best, in my humble opinion. Matt Jancer, WIRED, 1 Sep. 2022 People in belay glasses are now routine along the bases of popular walls, like the audience in a 3-D theater. Alison Osius, Outside Online, 22 Aug. 2022 In 2012, while climbing on Utah’s Castleton Tower, a young man fell and decked, landing headfirst right next to me on the belay ledge at the top of the first pitch, immediately twisting into a seizure before losing consciousness. Brendan Leonard, Outside Online, 30 May 2020 The small and lightweight Physic takes up less space on your harness than a traditional belay biner. Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 27 May 2022 Lowe never patented the design, and as a result the tubular belay device design is still made by numerous manufacturers. Andrew Freeman, Outside Online, 21 May 2012 After drifting to the ground on the auto-belay, Condie looked up at the wall and raised her hands in a gesture of frustration. Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Aug. 2021 Porta-ledges—hanging platforms that give climbers room to set up a belay station when a flat surface isn't available—are an adventurous choice. Nicole Kliest, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 June 2021 Adults can ride the zipline canopy tour, which includes eight ziplines, a swinging sky bridge and treetop towers up to 60 feet all while being attached to a continuous belay system. Hannah Drown, cleveland, 9 June 2021 See More 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
belay
verb
as in to tie
to attach (a rope) to something so that it is secure The climber belayed the rope. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- tie
- fasten
- clip
- strap
- clinch
- pin
- bolt
- clamp
- clench
- stick
- harness
- join
- button
- clasp
- batten
- screw
- lash
- latch
- tackle
- hang
- affix
- cinch
- bend
- glue
- tack
- rivet
- shackle
- yoke
- toggle
- connect
- adhere
- link
- plaster
- staple
- lace
- nail
- fix
- paste
- hasp
- coapt
- do up
- unite
- resecure
- refasten
- reaffix
- refix
- reattach
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- split
- disconnect
- sever
- separate
- divide
- dissociate
- break up
- loosen
- part
- loose
- divorce
- untie
- uncouple
- unlink
- disunite
- sunder
- dissever
- disjoint
- disjoin
- unhook
- unfasten
- unyoke
- detach
- unbind
- undo
- unfix
- unlash