Etymology : Middle English belongen, from be- + longen to be suitable; more at LONG
Pronunciation : bi-lo[ng]
Function : verb
Date : 14th century
1. be a part of; fit, suit. belong\be*long"\ , v. t. to be deserved by. [obs.] more evils belong us than happen to us. jonson.belong \be*long"\ , v. i. [imp. & p. p. belonged ; p. pr. & vb. n. belonging.] [oe. belongen (akin to d. belangen to concern, g. belangen to attain to, to concern); pref. be- + longen to desire. see:
long, v. i.]note: [usually construed with to.].
2. to be the property of; as, jamaica belongs to great britain.
3. to be a part of, or connected with; to be appendant or related; to owe allegiance or service. a desert place belonging to bethsaids.
4. the mighty men which belonged to david.
5. 3. to be the concern or proper business or function of; to appertain to. "do not interpretations belong to god ?" xl.
6. 4. to be suitable for; to be due to. strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age. v.
7. no blame belongs to thee.
8. to be native to, or an inhabitant of; esp. to have a legal residence, settlement, or inhabitancy, whether by birth or operation of law, so as to be entitled to maintenance by the parish or town. bastards also are settled in the parishes to which the mothers belong.belong v.
9. be owned by; be in the possession of; "this book belongs to me".
10. originate (in); "the problems dwell in the social injustices in this country" [syn: dwell, consist, lie, lie in].
11. be suitable or acceptable; "this student somehow doesn't belong".
12. be in the right place or situation; "where do these books belong?" "let's put health care where it belongs--under the control of the government"; "where do these books go?" [syn: go].
13. be classified with; "the whales belong among the mammals".
14. To be the property of; as, Jamaica belongs to Great Britain.
15. To be a part of, or connected with; to be appendant or related; to owe allegiance or service.
16. To be the concern or proper business or function of; to appertain to.
17. To be suitable for; to be due to.
18. To be native to, or an inhabitant of; esp. to have a legal residence, settlement, or inhabitancy, whether by birth or operation of law, so as to be entitled to maintenance by the parish or town.
19. To be deserved by. be owned by; be in the possession of; "This book belongs to me" be classified with; "The whales belong among the mammals" be suitable or acceptable; "This student somehow doesn't belong" be in the right place or situation; "Where do these books belong?"; "Let's put health care where it belongs--under the control of the government"; "Where do these books go?".
20. 1. If something belongs to you, you own it. The house had belonged to her family for three or four generations.
21. 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. The handwriting belongs to a male.
22. If someone belongs to a particular group, they are a member of that group. I used to belong to a youth club.
23. If something or someone belongs in or to a particular category, type, or group, they are of that category, type, or group. The judges could not decide which category it belonged in.
24. If something belongs to a particular time, it comes from that time. The pictures belong to an era when there was a preoccupation with high society.
25. If you say that something belongs to someone, you mean that person has the right to it. but the last word belonged to Rosanne.
26. 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. The future belongs to democracy.
27. 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. He deduced that the two children belonged to the couple.
28. When lovers say that they belong together, they are expressing their closeness or commitment to each other. I really think that we belong together He belongs with me.
29. If a person or thing belongs in a particular place or situation, that is where they should be. You don't belong here I'm so glad to see:
you back where you belong They need to feel they belong. + belonging be·long·ing a man utterly without a sense of belonging.