/ ˈbeli; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun ( pl. -ies )
1.
the part of the body below the chest
SYN stomach , gut :
They crawled along on their bellies.
—see also beer belly , pot belly
2.
( literary ) the round or curved part of an object :
the belly of a ship
—picture at cello
3.
-bellied (in adjectives) having the type of belly mentioned :
swollen-bellied
round-bellied
•
IDIOMS
- go belly up
■ verb
( bel·lies , belly·ing , bel·lied , bel·lied ) [ v ] belly (out) ( especially of sails ) to fill with air and become rounder
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English belig bag , of Germanic origin, from a base meaning swell, be inflated.