bellies

1 definition found

bellies - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Belly \Bel"ly\ (b[e^]l"l[y^]), n.; pl. Bellies (-l[i^]z). [OE.
     bali, bely, AS. belg, b[ae]lg, b[ae]lig, bag, bellows, belly;
     akin to Icel. belgr bag, bellows, Sw. b[aum]lg, Dan. b[ae]lg,
     D. & G. balg, cf. W. bol the paunch or belly, dim. boly, Ir.
     bolg. Cf. Bellows, Follicle, Fool, Bilge.]
     1. That part of the human body which extends downward from
        the breast to the thighs, and contains the bowels, or
        intestines; the abdomen.
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     Note: Formerly all the splanchnic or visceral cavities were
           called bellies; -- the lower belly being the abdomen;
           the middle belly, the thorax; and the upper belly, the
           head. --Dunglison.
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     2. The under part of the body of animals, corresponding to
        the human belly.
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              Underneath the belly of their steeds. --Shak.
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     3. The womb. [Obs.]
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              Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.
                                                    --Jer. i. 5.
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     4. The part of anything which resembles the human belly in
        protuberance or in cavity; the innermost part; as, the
        belly of a flask, muscle, sail, ship.
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              Out of the belly of hell cried I.     --Jonah ii. 2.
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     5. (Arch.) The hollow part of a curved or bent timber, the
        convex part of which is the back.
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     Belly doublet, a doublet of the 16th century, hanging down
        so as to cover the belly. --Shak.
  
     Belly fretting, the chafing of a horse's belly with a
        girth. --Johnson.
  
     Belly timber, food. [Ludicrous] --Prior.
  
     Belly worm, a worm that breeds or lives in the belly
        (stomach or intestines). --Johnson.
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