Belay

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /bɪˈleɪ/

Definitions

1. To secure a climbing rope by fastening it to a strong point for safety ; to officially cancel or suspend an instruction or plan
2. To fasten a rope tightly to a secure object to control a climber's descent or ascent ; to withdraw or halt a previously given command or directive
3. To anchor a rope firmly to provide safety while climbing ; to revoke or put an end to a previously issued order or action

Etymology: The verb "belay" is a compound of "be-", meaning "about" or "around," and "lay," so its earliest sense was something like "to cover over" or "to surround." Its ancestor in Old English, "beleċġan," could mean much more than tying things up: it covered the sense of covering a surface, surrounding a place, or even afflicting someone. Its Dutch and German cousins, "beleggen" and "belegen," still carry the older idea of laying something over or occupying a space, which hints at how far the English sense has travelled. The nautical meaning is the one that survived. To belay a rope is to wind it around a cleat or pin so that it holds fast, and the sense of wrapping a line around something fits neatly with the older notion of laying one thing around another. The same root also gave Swedish "belägga," meaning "to pave," where the idea of laying material over a surface is even more literal.

Synonyms: secure, fasten, anchor

Antonyms: release, loosen