2 VERB [no cont] You say that something belongs to a particular person when you are guessing, discovering, or explaining that it was produced by or is part of that person. □ [V + to ] The handwriting belongs to a male.
3 VERB [no cont] If someone belongs to a particular group, they are a member of that group. □ [V + to ] I used to belong to a youth club.
4 VERB [no cont] If something or someone belongs in or to a particular category, type, or group, they are of that category, type, or group. □ [V + in/to ] The judges could not decide which category it belonged in.
5 VERB [no cont] If something belongs to a particular time, it comes from that time. □ [V + to ] The pictures belong to an era when there was a preoccupation with high society.
6 VERB [no cont] If you say that something belongs to someone, you mean that person has the right to it. □ [V + to ] …but the last word belonged to Rosanne.
7 VERB [no cont] If you say that a time belongs to a particular system or way of doing something, you mean that that time is or will be characterized by it. □ [V + to ] The future belongs to democracy.
8 VERB [no cont] If a baby or child belongs to a particular adult, that adult is his or her parent or the person who is looking after him or her. □ [V + to ] He deduced that the two children belonged to the couple.
9 VERB [no cont] When lovers say that they belong together , they are expressing their closeness or commitment to each other. □ [V together ] I really think that we belong together. □ [V + with ] He belongs with me.
10 VERB [no cont] If a person or thing belongs in a particular place or situation, that is where they should be. □ [V adv/prep] You don't belong here. □ [V adv/prep] I'm so glad to see you back where you belong. □ [V ] They need to feel they belong. ● be|long|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ …a man utterly without a sense of belonging. USAGE belong
When belong
is used with meaning 1
, it must be followed by to
. Don’t say, for example, ‘
be|long|ings /b I lɒ ŋ I ŋz, [AM ] -lɔː ŋ-/ N‑PLURAL [usu poss N ] Your belongings are the things that you own, especially things that are small enough to be carried. □ I collected my belongings and left.
be|lov|ed /b I lʌ v I d/ When the adjective is not followed by a noun it is pronounced /b I lʌ vd/ and is hyphenated be|loved. 1 ADJ [usu ADJ n, Also v-link ADJ of/by n] A beloved person, thing, or place is one that you feel great affection for. □ He lost his beloved wife last year.
2 N‑SING [usu poss N ] Your beloved is the person that you love. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ He takes his beloved into his arms.
be|low ◆◆◇ /b I loʊ /
1 PREP If something is below something else, it is in a lower position. □ He appeared from the apartment directly below Leonard's. □ The path runs below a long brick wall. □ The sun had already sunk below the horizon. ● ADV [n ADV , ADV after v] Below is also an adverb. □ …a view to the street below. □ Spread out below was a great crowd.
2 PHRASE If something is below ground or below the ground , it is in the ground. □ They have designed a system which pumps up water from 70m below ground.
3 ADV [n ADV , ADV after v] You use below in a piece of writing to refer to something that is mentioned later. □ Please contact me on the number below.
4 PREP If something is below a particular amount, rate, or level, it is less than that amount, rate, or level. □ Night temperatures can drop below 15 degrees Celsius. □ Rainfall has been below average. ● ADV Below is also an adverb. □ …temperatures at zero or below.
5 PREP If someone is below you in an organization, they are lower in rank. □ Such people often experience less stress than those in the ranks immediately below them.
6 below par → see par
be|low stai rs also below-stairs ADV [n ADV , ADV after v] People sometimes use below stairs to refer to the servants in a rich household and the things that are connected with them. □ …a glimpse of life below stairs at Buckingham Palace. ● ADJ [usu ADJ n] Below-stairs is also an adjective. □ …the below-stairs world of a 1920s country house.
belo w-the-be lt → see belt
belo w-the-li ne pro|mo |tion (below-the-line promotions ) N‑VAR Below-the-line promotion is the use of promotional methods that can be controlled by the company selling the goods or service, such as in-store offers and direct selling. Compare above-the-line promotion . [BUSINESS ] □ The advertising campaign will be supported by a PR and below-the-line promotion.
belt ◆◇◇ /be lt/ (belts , belting , belted )
1 N‑COUNT A belt is a strip of leather or cloth that you fasten round your waist. □ He wore a belt with a large brass buckle.
2 → see also safety belt , seat belt
3 N‑COUNT A belt in a machine is a circular strip of rubber that is used to drive moving parts or to move objects along. □ The turning disc is connected by a drive belt to an electric motor.
4 → see also conveyor belt , fan belt
5 N‑COUNT A belt of land or sea is a long, narrow area of it that has some special feature. □ Miners in Zambia's northern copper belt have gone on strike.