# belong

Pronunciation: US say "bi-LAWNG" /bɪˈlɔŋ/; UK say "bi-LONG" /bɪˈlɒŋ/

## Verb

1. To be a part of something, or to be the property of a particular person.
   - Simple: To be owned by someone, or to be a part of something bigger.
   - _The land belongs to the family that has farmed it for years._
   - _All the paintings in this hall belong to the city museum._
2. To be a member or part of a particular group.
   - Simple: To be a member of a group, club, or organization.
   - _He belongs to a union that represents dockworkers._
   - _Workers who belong to the guild receive training and support._
3. To be accepted by others as a rightful and natural part of a group.
   - Simple: To feel welcome and accepted as a real part of a group.
   - _He never felt he belonged among the older players._
   - _Children need to feel that they belong somewhere._
4. To be in the place where something is properly meant to be.
   - Simple: To be in the right or correct place.
   - _Personal opinions don't belong in a straight news report._
   - _Every tool belongs in its own labeled drawer._
5. To be the spouse or romantic partner of a particular person.
   - Simple: To be someone's husband, wife, or partner.
   - _In the old ballad, the knight swears to belong to no other._
   - _She belongs to him, the marriage vows declared._
6. In mathematics, to be an element of a set.
   - Simple: In math, to be one of the members of a set.
   - _Every prime number belongs to the set of natural numbers._
   - _All multiples of four belong to the set of even numbers._

## Preposition

7. Used before a noun to show possession or association, meaning 'of' or 'belonging to.'
   - Simple: Used to show who owns something, meaning 'of' or 'belonging to.'
   - _The story belong this place, passed down for generations._
   - _That canoe belong my uncle, not yours._

## Verb

8. To be deserved by or rightfully due to a particular person. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To be earned or deserved by a certain person.

## Origin

From Middle English belongen (also bilongen), formed from be- plus longen ('to be fitting, be suitable'), which came from Old English langian ('to pertain to, suit'). It is related to Dutch belangen ('to concern') and German belangen ('to sue, concern').

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/belong (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).