v. Forms: 1 belecgan, 3–4 bi-, be-legge(n, 6– belay. Pa. t. 1 beleʓde, beléde, 3 bilæde, 4 -laide, 6 belaied, 7 -laid, (Naut.) 7 -layed. Pa. pple. 1 beleʓd, beléd, 3 bileȝȝd, 4 bi-, beleyd, -leid, 6 -layd, 6–7 -laied, 7 -laid, (Naut.) 7– -layed. [OE. bi-, belęcgan:—OTeut. *bilagjan, in OHG. bileckan, bilegen, mod.G. belegen, Du. beleggen; f. bi-, BE- + lagjan, in OE. lęcgan to LAY. Prof. Skeat suggests that the nautical use may have been taken from Du. beleggen: cf. BELAGE.]
† 1. trans. To lay (a thing) about with other objects (i.e., by putting them about or around it); to surround, environ, invest, enclose, etc., with. Obs.
† a. lit.
a. 1000. Andreas (Grein), 1562. We … ellþeódiʓne … clommum beleʓdon vitebendum!
c. 1205. Lay., 14223. [With a strip of hide] A-buten he bilæde muche del of londe.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5739. Him þouȝte brennynge a tre As hit wiþ loue al were bileyde.
† b. fig.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., III. viii. § 3. Papirus wæs mid Romanum swylces domes beled.
1606. J. Raynolds, Dolarnys Prim., 69. With many fauours, still thou didst belay mee.
† c. esp. To set about with (ornamentation), to lay with (a margin of gold, etc.). Cf. OVERLAY.
c. 1200. Ormin, 8167. All þe bære wass bileȝȝd Wiþþ bætenn gold.
1577. Dee, Relat. Spir., I. (1659), 206. His robes all belayed with lace of gold.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. ii. 5. A woodmans iacket … Of Lincolne greene, belayd with silver lace.
† 2. spec. To beset with armed men; to besiege, invest, beleaguer. Obs.
c. 1320. Sir Beves, 3189. Themperur theroute us wille belegge.
1595. Spenser, Sonn., xiv. Those small forts which ye were wont belay.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 281. It was by King Stephen belaied once or twise with sieges.
1648. G. Sandys, Paraphr. Div. Poems, Deo Opt. Max. When Arabian Theeves belaid us round.
† b. To beset or line (a way or passage) with armed men so as to intercept an enemy; or with anything for the use of those who pass. Obs.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1621), 945. Simon … had so belayed that strait, as that the Turkes could not … passe the same.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VI. xlv. 156. Constantine … hasted from Rome, hauing belaid al the way with Posthorses for the purpose.
a. 1639. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., II. (1677), 44. Frederick … having belayed the ways made the Bishops … prisoners.
1698. Dryden, Æneid, IX. 515. The speedy Horse all passages belay.
† c. To waylay, lie in wait for (a person). Obs.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur (1816), I. 273. All kings and knights of king Arthur’s part belayed him, and waited for him.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1621), 717. He was by certain Spaniards … belaid upon the river Padus.
1760. Sterne, Tr. Shandy (1802), I. xviii. 70. Other cases of danger, which belay us in getting into the world.
† d. fig. To forestall, make preparations for. Obs.
1598. Bacon, Sacr. Medit., v. Ess. (Arb.), 109. They who … haue entred into a confidence that they had belayed all euents.
† 3. To invest (words) with a sense or meaning.
† a. To explain or expound (in some way). Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 67. Þet we seggeð and þus þa wordes we bi-leggeð.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 903. Ȝet ich þe wile an oþer segge Ȝif þu hit const a riht bilegge.
† b. To gloze (so as to conceal meaning). Obs.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 672. He mot bi-hemmen and bi-legge. Ibid., 837. Alle thine wordes thu bileist, That hit thincth soth al that thu seist.
† c. ? To illustrate by evidence or action. Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 65. Gif we þos bode þus bileggeð.
† 4. (Predicated of the thing which lies around): To encircle, clasp or coil round (about). Obs.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 1336 (Trin.). Þis tre … A nedder hit had aboute bileide.
c. 1320. R. Brunne, Medit., 274. Sorwe ȝoure hertes haþ alle be leyd.
[1836. Landor, Lett. Conserv., 86. Under the slightest whipping that ever belayed the shoulders of malefactor.]
5. Naut. To coil a running rope round a cleat, belaying pin, or kevel, so as to fasten or secure it; to fasten by so putting it round. Said especially of one of the small ropes, used for working the sails. (The only current sense.)
1549. Compl. Scot., vi. 41. Mak fast and belay.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ix. 42. To belay, is to make fast the ropes in their proper places. Ibid., ix. 38. Bits … are … placed abaft the Manger … to belay the Cable thereto.
1706. Phillips, Belay or Belage [see BELAGE] … Belay the Sheat, or Tack, i. e. fasten it to the Kennel, etc.
1762. Falconer, Shipwr., II. 83. Taught aft the sheet they tally and belay.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast., xxiii. The weather cross-jack braces and the lee main braces are each belayed together upon two pins.
b. transf. To make fast, tie, secure.
1751. Smollett, Per. Pick. (1779), IV. lxxxvi. 23. Pipes had found it very difficult to keep him [Peregrine] fast belayed.
1806. W. Gifford, trans. Juvenal, II. 84 (ed. 2), 41.
| Cower’d o’er your labour, like the squalid jade, | |
| That plies the distaff, to a block belay’d. |
1849. Curzon, Visits Monast., 376. The bridle, which was safely belayed to the pack-saddle.
c. Sailor’s slang.
1796. Dibdin, Poor Jack, ii. My timbers! what lingo he’d coil and belay.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xxxi. (1878), 536. Belay there, and hearken.
1867. Adm. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 94. Belay there, stop! that is enough! Belay that yarn, we have had enough of it!
† 6. intr. To lay about one (sc. blows). Obs. rare.
1598. Yong, Diana, 109. They belaied about them, passing actiue and nimble in lending blowes.
† 7. ? To lay down: but see ALLAY v.1 14. Obs.
1562. Turner, Bathes, 5. Youre wyne must be cleare and well belayd, accordinge vnto … the streingth and wekenes of the wyne.
