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belfry

[bel-free]

Example Sentences Origin

noun, plural -fries.

a bell tower, either attached to a church or other building or standing apart.

the part of a steeple or other structure in which a bell is hung.

a frame of timberwork that holds or encloses a bell.

Slang. head; mind: a belfry full of curious notions.

Idiom

have bats in one's belfry. bat² (def. 3).

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Belfry is always a great word to know.

So is ream. Does it mean:

to scold or reprimand severely, to cheat or defraud

a state, atmosphere, or mood of ease and gentle relaxation

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Origin:
1225–75; Middle English belfray, apparently blend of earlier berfray (< Middle French < Germanic ) and Medieval Latin belfredus, dissimilated variant of berefredus < Germanic; compare Middle High German ber(c) frit, equivalent to berc defense, protection, refuge (cognate with Old English gebeorg; see harbor) + frit peace, (place of) safety (cognate with Old English frith)

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To belfry

Example Sentences

Now, only a chunk of the belfry remains standing to mark the site.

The school's tin roof was also ripped off, and the belfry atop the four-story building was shoved down into the third story.

Collins

World English Dictionary

belfry (ˈbɛlfrɪ)

—n , pl -fries
1.	the part of a tower or steeple in which bells are hung
2.	Compare campanile a tower or steeple
3.	the timber framework inside a tower or steeple on which bells are hung
4.	(formerly) a movable tower for attacking fortifications

[C13: from Old French berfrei, of Germanic origin; compare Middle High German bercfrit fortified tower, Medieval Latin berfredus tower]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

belfry

late 13c., "siege tower," from O.N.Fr. berfroi "movable siege tower" (Mod.Fr. beffroi), from M.H.G. bercfrit "protecting shelter," lit. "that which watches over peace," from bergen "to protect" + frid "peace." Originally a wooden siege tower on wheels ("free" to move); it came to be used for chime towers

EXPAND

(mid-15c.), which at first often were detached from church buildings (as the Campanile on Plaza San Marco in Venice). Spelling altered by association with bell.

COLLAPSE

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

belfry

see bats in one's belfry.