BELONG Definition & Meaning

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belong

[ bih-lawng, -long ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used without object)

to be in the relation of a member, adherent, inhabitant, etc. (usually followed by to ):
He belongs to the Knights of Columbus.
to have the proper qualifications, especially social qualifications, to be a member of a group:
You don't belong in this club.
to be proper or due; be properly or appropriately placed, situated, etc.:
Books belong in every home. This belongs on the shelf. He is a statesman who belongs among the great.

verb phrase

1. to be the property of:
  The book belongs to her.
2. to be a part or adjunct of:
  That cover belongs to this jar.

belong

/ ��ɪˈ��ɒŋ /

verb

foll by to to be the property or possession (of)
foll by to to be bound to (a person, place, or club) by ties of affection, dependence, allegiance, or membership
foll byto, under, with, etc to be classified (with)
this plant belongs to the daisy family
foll by to to be a part or adjunct (of)
this top belongs to the smaller box
to have a proper or usual place
that plate belongs in the cupboard
informal.
to be suitable or acceptable, esp socially
although they were rich, they just didn't belong

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of belong¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English belongen, from be- be- + longen “to belong,” verb derivative of long (adjective), Old English gelang “belonging to, dependent on”; along ( def ), long ³( def )

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of belong¹

C14 belongen , from be- (intensive) + longen ; related to Old High German ��Բ�ŧ�� to reach; see long ³

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Idioms and Phrases

see to the victor belong the spoils .

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“And this is one of those powers that belongs in the Congress, and we should be looking at that in, I think, a very serious manner.”

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The platform will also require parody account holders to use different images to the X accounts belonging to those they seek to represent.

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Two said they had then been left outside in the cold for hours, and two said Israeli soldiers stole their belongings and money.

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Torres said men belonging to a criminal group began to target her, saying they would harm her if she didn’t cross the border.

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Artefacts recovered from the battlefield in recent years have included lead musket balls and a shoe buckle believed to have belonged to a clan chief.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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