to be in the relation of a member, adherent, inhabitant, etc. (usually fol. by to): He belongs to the Knights of Columbus.
2.
to have the proper qualifications, esp. social qualifications, to be a member of a group: You don't belong in this club.
3.
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
4.
belong to,
a.
to be the property of: The book belongs to her.
b.
to be a part or adjunct of: That cover belongs to this jar.
[Origin: 1300–50; ME belongen, equiv. to be-be-+ longen to belong, v. deriv. of long (adj.) belonging, OE gelangalong1]
To be proper, appropriate, or suitable: A napkin belongs at every place setting.
To be in an appropriate situation or environment: That plant belongs outdoors.
To be a member of a group, such as a club.
To fit into a group naturally: No matter what I did, I just didn't belong.
To be a member of a group, such as a club.
To fit into a group naturally: No matter what I did, I just didn't belong.
To have in one's possession. Often used with to:"The earth belongs to the living"(Thomas Jefferson).
To be a part of something else: These blades belong to the food processor.
[Middle English bilongen : probably bi-, be- + longen, to belong (probably from long, dependent, from Old English gelang, along, depending; see del-1 in Indo-European roots).]
1340, "to go along with, relate to," from be- intensive prefix, + O.E. langian "pertain to, to go along with." Sense of "to be the property of" first recorded 1393. Replaced earlier O.E. gelang, with completive prefix ge-. First record of belongings "goods, effects," is from 1817.
be owned by; be in the possession of; "This book belongs to me"
2.
be suitable or acceptable; "This student somehow doesn't belong"
3.
be in the right place or situation; "Where do these books belong?"; "Let's put health care where it belongs--under the control of the government"; "Where do these books go?"
4.
be rightly classified in a class or category; "The whales belong among the mammals"
5.
be a member, adherent, inhabitant, etc. (of a group, organization, or place); "They belong to the same political party"
6.
be a part or adjunct; "the uniform looks like it belonged to a museum collection"; "These pages don't belong" [syn: belong to]
Be*long"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Belonged; p. pr. & vb. n. Belonging.] [OE. belongen (akin to D. belangen to concern, G. belangen to attain to, to concern); pref. be- + longen to desire. See Long, v. i.] Note: [Usually construed with to.]1. To be the property of; as, Jamaica belongs to Great Britain. 2. To be a part of, or connected with; to be appendant or related; to owe allegiance or service. A desert place belonging to . . . Bethsaids. --Luke ix. 10. The mighty men which belonged to David. --1 Kings i. 8. 3. To be the concern or proper business or function of; to appertain to. "Do not interpretations belong to God ?" --Gen. xl. 8. 4. To be suitable for; to be due to. Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age. --Heb. v. 14. No blame belongs to thee. --Shak. 5. 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. Bastards also are settled in the parishes to which the mothers belong. --Blackstone.
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Audio Help [bi-lawng, -long] Pronunciation Key 
