belay
pronunciation
How to pronounce belay in British English:
UK [ˈbi:leɪ]
How to pronounce belay in American English:
US ['bileɪ]
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- Noun:
- something to which a mountain climber's rope can be secured
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- Verb:
- turn a rope round an object or person in order to secure it or him
- fasten a boat to a bitt, pin, or cleat
Word Origin
- belay (v.)
- "to secure or fasten," from Old English bilecgan, which, among other senses, meant "to lay a thing about" (with other objects), from be- + lecgan "to lay" (see lay (v.)). The only surviving sense is the nautical one of "coil a running rope round a cleat or pin to secure it" (also transferred to mountain-climbing), first attested 1540s; but this is possibly a cognate word, from Dutch beleggen.
Example
- 1. The muscular stance and bulging form belay a quiet confidence .
- 2. Belay that . Lieutenant , what the hell is going on ?
- 3. If the answer is nothing then the belay is good , if the answer is anything else then look again at the belay .
- 4. Things get complicated at the belay , where rope management plays a key role in the helping ensure climbingsafety .
- 5. By objectively analyzing the risks ahead of time , you 'll often be able to lower the risk of the climb ( e.g. taking other gear or rigging a belay differently than you normally would ) and , at the least , be aware and able to respond to the most critical risks as you climb .