Belfry, bel′fri, n. the part of a steeple or tower in which bells are hung: a bell-tower, sometimes standing apart: a movable wooden tower, used in the Middle Ages in attacking a fortification.—adj. Bel′fried, having a belfry. [Orig. and properly a watch-tower, from O. Fr. berfroi—Mid. High Ger. berchfrit—frid, frit, a tower, bergan, to protect.]
Belgard, bel-gärd′, n. (Spens.) fair or kind looks. [It. bel guardo, lovely look.]
Belgian, bel′ji-an, adj. belonging to Belgium, a country of Europe.—n. a native of Belgium.
Belgic, bel′jik, adj. pertaining to the Belgæ who anciently possessed Belgium, or to Belgium. [L. Belgicus—Belgæ, the Belgians.]
Belgravian, bel-grā′vi-an, adj. belonging to Belgravia (a fashionable part of London), or to fashionable life: aristocratic.
Belial, bēl′yal, n. a name for the devil, and, in Milton, for one of the fallen angels. Not a proper name in Old Test. [Heb. b’li-ya‛al, b’li, without ya‛al, usefulness.]
Belie, be-lī′, v.t. to give the lie to: to speak falsely of: to present in a false character: to counterfeit: to be false to: falsify: (Shak.) to fill with lies:—pr.p. bely′ing; pa.p. belīed′. [A.S. be, and Lie.]
Believe, be-lēv′, v.t. to regard as true: to trust in.—v.i. to be firmly persuaded of anything: to exercise faith (with in, on): to think or suppose.—n. Belief′, persuasion of the truth of anything: faith: the opinion or doctrine believed: intuition, natural judgment (as used by some philosophers).—adjs. Belief′less; Believ′able, that may be believed.—n. Believ′er, one who believes: a professor of Christianity.—p.adj. Believ′ing, trustful.—adv. Believ′ingly.—The Belief (arch.), the Apostles' Creed.—To make believe, to pretend. [M. E. bileven—bi-, be-, and leven. Murray says that believe is an erroneous spelling of the 17th century, prob. after relieve. The A.S. form geléfan survived to the 14th century; the present compound, which superseded it, appears in the 12th century.]
Belike, be-līk′, adv. probably: perhaps. [A.S. pfx. be-, and Like.]
Belittle, be-lit′l, v.t. to make small: to cause to appear small, to depreciate or disparage.—n. Belit′tlement.—adj. Belit′tling. [Pfx. be-, and Little.]