belay

1. Nautical. To secure or make fast (a rope, for example) by winding on a cleat or pin.
2. To secure (a mountain climber, for example) at the end of a length of rope.
3. To cause to stop.

1. To be made secure.
2. Used in the imperative as an order to stop: Belay there!

1. The securing of a rope on a rock or other projection during mountain climbing.
2. An object, such as a rock, to which a mountain climber's rope can be secured.

[Middle English bileggen, to surround, from Old English belecgan.]

verb

1. To prevent the occurrence or continuation of a movement, action, or operation: arrest, cease, check, discontinue, halt, stall, stay, stop, surcease. Idioms: bring to a standstill, call a halt to, put a stop to. See continue/stop/pause.
2. To come to a cessation: arrest, cease, check, discontinue, halt, leave off, quit, stall, stop, surcease. Idioms: come to ahaltstandstillstop. See continue/stop/pause.

biˈlā v. 1. fix (a running rope) around a cleat, pin, rock, or other object, to secure it.

2. slang stop; enough!: “Belay that, mister. Man your post.”

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Stop. Make fast, from the Naval practice of tying off a line with a belaying pin. Disregard, as in "Belay my last".

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: something to which a mountain climber's rope can be secured

The verb belay has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: turn a rope round an object or person in order to secure it or him

Meaning #2: fasten a boat to a bitt, pin, or cleat