belly

[bel-ee]

noun

plural

bellies 

1. the front or under part of a vertebrate body from the breastbone to the pelvis, containing the abdominal viscera; the abdomen.

2. the stomach with its adjuncts.

3. appetite or capacity for food; gluttony.

4. the womb.

5. the inside or interior of anything.

   the belly of a ship.

6. a protuberant or bulging surface of anything.

   the belly of a flask.

7. Anatomy.,  the fleshy part of a muscle.

8. the front, inner, or under surface or part, as distinguished from the back.

9. the front surface of a violin or similar instrument.

10. a bulge on a vertical surface of fresh concrete.

11. the underpart of the fuselage of an airplane.

verb (used with object)

bellied, bellying 

1. to fill out; swell.

   Wind bellied the sails.

verb (used without object)

bellied, bellying 

1. to swell out.

   Sails bellying in the wind.

2. to crawl on one's belly.

   soldiers bellying through a rice paddy.

verb phrase

1. belly up

   1. to approach closely, especially until one is in physical contact.

      to belly up to a bar.

   2. to curry favor from.

      Would you have gotten the promotion if you hadn't bellied up to the boss?

belly

/ ˈbɛlɪ /

noun

1. the lower or front part of the body of a vertebrate, containing the intestines and other abdominal organs; abdomen

2. the stomach, esp when regarded as the seat of gluttony

3. a part, line, or structure that bulges deeply

   the belly of a sail

4. the inside or interior cavity of something

   the belly of a ship

5. the front or inner part or underside of something

6. the surface of a stringed musical instrument over which the strings are stretched

7. the thick central part of certain muscles

8. the wool from a sheep's belly

9. tanning the portion of a hide or skin on the underpart of an animal

10. archery the surface of the bow next to the bowstring

11. archaic,  the womb

12. informal,  to die, fail, or come to an end

verb

1. to swell out or cause to swell out; bulge

Other Word Forms

• bellylike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of belly¹

before 950; Middle English bely, Old English belig, belg bag, skin; cognate with German Balg, Gothic balgs, Old Norse belgr sack; akin to Welsh bol ( a ), boly, Irish bolg sack, belly, bellows, Serbo-Croatian blàzina, Latvian pabàlsts, Avestan barəziš-, Persian bālish cushion

Word History and Origins

Origin of belly¹

Old English belig ; related to Old High German balg , Old Irish bolg sack, Sanskrit barhi chaff

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go / turn belly up, to come to an end; die; fail.

   After years of barely surviving on donations, the neighborhood social club finally went belly up.

see go belly up.

Example Sentences

These are the visits that can fill a young man’s heart, not to mention his belly.

From Los Angeles Times

Burns said he felt "privileged and honoured" to be selected, with Bradley adding he has "competitive fire in his belly".

From BBC

Jasmine Joyce-Butchers injected some much needed fire into Welsh bellies with a meandering 40m break, but Scotland scrambled well and won a timely turnover.

From BBC

The plan was born in the belly of Eden Park.

From BBC

"I'm always constantly thinking I am bigger than I am. Or I'm always pinching my belly. It's not a healthy mindset at all, and I fully admit that."

From BBC

Related Words

• abdomen 
• gut 
• insides 
• pelvis 
• tank 
• tummy