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belfry - 5 dictionary results
bel⋅fry
[bel-free] 
–noun, plural -fries.
—Idiom| 1. | a bell tower, either attached to a church or other building or standing apart. |
| 2. | the part of a steeple or other structure in which a bell is hung. |
| 3. | a frame of timberwork that holds or encloses a bell. |
| 4. | Slang. head; mind: a belfry full of curious notions. |
| 5. | have bats in one's belfry. bat 2 (def. 3). |
Origin:
1225–75; ME belfray, appar. b. earlier berfray (< MF < Gmc) and ML belfredus, dissimilated var. of berefredus < Gmc; cf. MHG ber(c) frit, equiv. to berc defense, protection, refuge (c. OE gebeorg; see harbor ) + frit peace, (place of) safety (c. OE frith)
1225–75; ME belfray, appar. b. earlier berfray (< MF < Gmc) and ML belfredus, dissimilated var. of berefredus < Gmc; cf. MHG ber(c) frit, equiv. to berc defense, protection, refuge (c. OE gebeorg; see harbor ) + frit peace, (place of) safety (c. OE frith)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To belfry
| bel·fry (běl'frē) n. pl. bel·fries
[Middle English belfrei, from Old North French belfroi, alteration of Old French berfrei, berfroi; see bhergh-2 in Indo-European roots.] bel'fried adj. Word History: The words bell and belfry seem obviously related, but in fact the bel- portion of belfry had nothing to do with bells until comparatively recently. Belfry goes back to a compound formed in prehistoric Common Germanic. It is generally agreed that the second part of this compound is the element *frij-, meaning "peace, safety." The first element is either *bergan, "to protect," which would yield a compound meaning "a defensive place of shelter," or *berg-, "a high place," which would yield a compound meaning "a high place of safety, tower." Whatever the meaning of the original Germanic source, its Old French descendant berfrei, which first meant "siege tower," came to mean "watchtower." Presumably because bells were used in these towers, the word was applied to bell towers as well. The Old North French alteration belfroi, which reminded English speakers of their native word belle (our bell), entered Middle English with the sense "bell tower." |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Belfry
Bel"fry\, n. [OE. berfray movable tower used in sieges, OF. berfreit, berfroit, F. beffroi, fr. MHG. bervrit, bercvrit, G. bergfriede, fr. MHG. bergen to protect (G. bergen to conceal) + vride peace, protection, G. friede peace; in compounds often taken in the sense of security, or place of security; orig. therefore a place affording security. G. friede is akin to E. free. See Burg, and Free.]1. (Mil. Antiq.) A movable tower erected by besiegers for purposes of attack and defense. 2. A bell tower, usually attached to a church or other building, but sometimes separate; a campanile. 3. A room in a tower in which a bell is or may be hung; or a cupola or turret for the same purpose. 4. (Naut.) The framing on which a bell is suspended.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : belfry
Spanish:
campanario,
German:
der Glockenstuhl,
Japanese:
鐘楼
belfry
1272, "siege tower," from O.N.Fr. berfroi "movable siege tower," from M.H.G. bercfrit "protecting shelter," from bergen "to protect" + frid "peace." Originally a wooden siege tower on wheels ("free" to move); it came to be used for chime towers (c.1440), which at first often were detached from church buildings (as the Campanile on Plaza San Marco in Venice). Spelling altered by association with bell.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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belfry
see bats in one's belfry.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
