Word Study
belong
CIDE DICTIONARY
belong, v. i. [OE. belongen (akin to D. belangen to concern, G. belangen to attain to, to concern); pref. be- + longen to desire. See Long, v. i. ].
- To be the property of; as, Jamaica belongs to Great Britain. [1913 Webster]"[Usually construed with to.]"
- To be a part of, or connected with; to be appendant or related; to owe allegiance or service. [1913 Webster]"A desert place belonging to . . . Bethsaids." [1913 Webster]"The mighty men which belonged to David." [1913 Webster]
- To be the concern or proper business or function of; to appertain to. Gen. xl. 8. [1913 Webster]
- To be suitable for; to be due to. [1913 Webster]"Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age." [1913 Webster]"No blame belongs to thee." [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]"Bastards also are settled in the parishes to which the mothers belong." [1913 Webster]
belong, v. t.
To be deserved by. [1913 Webster]
"More evils belong us than happen to us." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
belong, v.intr.
1 (foll. by to) a be the property of. b be rightly assigned to as a duty, right, part, member, characteristic, etc. c be a member of (a club, family, group, etc.).
2 have the right personal or social qualities to be a member of a particular group (he's nice but just doesn't belong); (foll. by in, under). a be rightly placed or classified. b fit a particular environment.
1 (foll. by to) a be the property of. b be rightly assigned to as a duty, right, part, member, characteristic, etc. c be a member of (a club, family, group, etc.).
2 have the right personal or social qualities to be a member of a particular group (he's nice but just doesn't belong); (foll. by in, under). a be rightly placed or classified. b fit a particular environment.
Derivative
belongingness n.
Etymology
ME f. intensive BE- + longen belong f. OE langian (gelang at hand)
THESAURUS
belong
accord, affect, agree, answer to, appertain, appertain to, apply to, be a member, be inscribed, be there, bear on, bear upon, become, befit, belong to, carry a card, chime, concern, connect, correspond, correspond to, deal with, fit, fit in, go, harmonize, have connection with, have its place, have place, hold membership, indwell, inhere, interest, involve, liaise with, link with, match, pertain, pertain to, refer to, regard, relate to, respect, set, subscribe, suit, tally, tie in with, touch, touch upon, treat of, vest, vest inFor further exploring for "belong" in Webster Dictionary Online
