v. Naut. Obs. [Either ME. belegge, obs. form of BELAY, or, what is not improbable, ad. Du. beleggen, in same sense. (It is also possible that it may have originated as a misprint or misreading of belaye. See also BELACE.)]

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1678.  Phillips, Belage in Navigation is to fasten any running Rope when it is haled, that it cannot run forth again. [So in ed. 1696: Belay in nautical sense not given in either; but ed. 1706 has Belay or Belage, explained as in 1678].

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1692.  in Capt. Smith’s Seaman’s Gram., I. xvi. 75. To Belage, to make fast any running Rope.

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1707.  in Kersey.

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1721.  Bailey, Belage, Belay (Sea Term) [expl. as in Phillips].

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