I. ˈbelē, -li noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English bely, baly, from Old English belg, bælg bag, skin; akin to Old High German balg bag, skin, Old Norse belgr, Gothic balgs wineskin, Sanskrit upa barhaṇa cushion, Latin flare to blow — more at blow
1.
a.
(1) : the front part of the human body between the breast and the thighs enclosing the abdominal viscera : abdomen
(2) : the underpart of an animal's body corresponding to the human belly ; also : the hide from the underside of an animal — see hide illustration
b. : womb , uterus
c. : the internal cavity of the body : the abdominal cavity
d. : the part of a garment that covers a person's belly
e. : the piece of wool from the sheep's belly — usually used in plural
2. : the internal cavity of something : interior
a boat carrying a half dozen freight cars in its belly
3. : appetite
thoughts that rose little above his belly
: satisfaction of hunger
always intent on his belly
4. : a surface or object so curved or rounded as to resemble or suggest the human or animal belly
the belly of a flask
the belly of an airplane
a cold belly of fog advancing down the street
5.
a. : the convex inner side of an archer's bow
b. : the part of a sail that swells out when filled with wind
c. : the enlarged fleshy body of a muscle between the usually slender points of attachment
d. : the side of a piece of printer's type opposite the back and having the nick — see type illustration
e. : the part of a blast furnace at the top of the bosh where the diameter is greatest
f.
(1) : the front or upper plate of the sound box of instruments of the violin and lute classes — called also table
(2) : the soundboard of a piano
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
transitive verb
1. : to round out : swell , fill
wind bellying the sails
2. Australia : to remove the wool on the belly of (a sheep) before shearing
3. : to disable the treads of (an army tank) especially in such a way as to expose the underside to enemy fire
bellied by concrete blocks
intransitive verb
1. : to swell out : bulge out
his blouse bellied out round him — F.M.Ford
2. : to move along on the belly
the patrol bellied across the field under enemy fire
or with the belly foremost
the cowboys bellied up to the bar