Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To be proper, appropriate, or suitable.
  • intransitive verb To be in an appropriate situation or environment.
  • intransitive verb To be a member of a group, such as a club.
  • intransitive verb To fit into a group naturally.
  • intransitive verb To be owned by someone. Often used with to:
  • intransitive verb To be a part of something else.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To go along with anything, or accompany it as an adjunct or attribute; pertain; appertain; be a property (of); be in the power or at the disposal (of).
  • To be the concern or proper business (of); appertain (to): as, it belongs to John Doe to prove the title.
  • To be appendant (to); be connected (with); be a special relation (to): as, a beam or rafter belongs to such a frame, or to such a place in the building.
  • To be suitable; be due.
  • To have a settled residence (in); be domiciled (in); specifically, have a legal residence, settlement, or inhabitancy (in), whether by birth or operation of law, so as to be chargeable upon the parish or town: said of a pauper, or one likely to become such.
  • To be a native (of); have original residence (in).
  • To have its (or one's) proper place; be resident: as, this book belongs on the top shelf; I belong here (in this house or town).

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb obsolete To be deserved by.
  • intransitive verb To be the property of.
  • intransitive verb To be a part of, or connected with; to be appendant or related; to owe allegiance or service.
  • intransitive verb To be the concern or proper business or function of; to appertain to.
  • intransitive verb To be suitable for; to be due to.
  • intransitive verb 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.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • preposition Of, belonging to.
  • verb intransitive To have its proper place.
  • verb intransitive (of a person) To be accepted in a group.
  • verb intransitive (followed by to) To be a part of a group.
  • verb intransitive (followed by to) To be the property of.
  • verb intransitive (followed by to) To be the spouse or partner of.
  • verb intransitive, set theory (followed by to) To be an element of (a set). The symbol means belongs to.
  • verb obsolete, transitive To be deserved by.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb be a part or adjunct
  • verb be suitable or acceptable
  • verb be owned by; be in the possession of
  • verb be in the right place or situation
  • verb be a member, adherent, inhabitant, etc. (of a group, organization, or place)
  • verb be rightly classified in a class or category

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English bilongen : probably bi-, be- + longen, to belong (probably from long, dependent, from Old English gelang, along, depending; see del- in Indo-European roots).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Compare Kriol blanga, Bislama blong, Tok Pisin bilong, and Torres Strait Creole blong.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English belongen, from be- +‎ longen (“to belong”), from Old English langian ("to pertain to, suit"). Compare Dutch belangen ("to concern"), German belangen ("to attain, concern"). More at be-, long.

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Examples

  • The former _stand for_ nouns, and never belong to them; the latter _belong to_ nouns, and never stand for them.

    English Grammar in Familiar Lectures Samuel Kirkham

  • Council, that all vessels under a neutral or friendly flag, being neutral or friendly property, shall be permitted to import into any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions all goods and merchandize whatsoever, to whomsoever the same may belong, [217] and to export from any port or place in her Majesty's dominions to any port not blockaded, any cargo or goods, not being contraband of war, or not requiring a special permission, to _whomsoever the same may belong_.

    The Laws Of War, Affecting Commerce And Shipping H. Byerley Thomson

  • "And now," said he, "as you belong to the church of Christ, so your children, in a certain sense, and that a very important and precious sense, _belong_ to the church.

    Bertha and Her Baptism Nehemiah Adams 1842

  • I believe the title belong to the Audi R8 or Escalade platinum.

    unknown title 2009

  • But the design of the ones to which I belong is not mine.

    Writer Unboxed » Blog Archive » 5 Things That Make Me Stop Reading Websites & Blogs 2009

  • Please those country bumkins and palin belong together, let her go let her speak my question is how in the heck can anyone stand the sound of her annoying voice for any lenght of time.

    Iowa GOP to Palin: Come to Des Moines 2009

  • We also know that about 20% of the American electorate, the stupidest 20% to which out pet trolls belong, is stupid enough to vote for this moron.

    Think Progress » Profit-Seeking Palin Reportedly Rips CPAC As A Profiteering Convention 2010

  • Bay Area cats and dogs that converse in English belong to two underground intelligence organisations dedicated to protecting their human masters.

    Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore 2010

  • I look at the heroic Downs with a gasp of joy every day and the sense of a place where you can belong is palpable.

    Archive 2007-12-01 Newmania 2007

  • I look at the heroic Downs with a gasp of joy every day and the sense of a place where you can belong is palpable.

    Archive 2007-11-25 Newmania 2007

Comments

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  • A little mountain spring I found

    That fell into a pool;

    I made my hands into a cup

    And caught the sparkling water up -

    It tasted fresh and cool.

    A solemn little frog I spied

    Upon the rocky brim;

    He looked so boldly in my face,

    I'm certain that he thought the place

    Belonged by rights to him.

    - Rose Fyleman, 'The Spring'.

    November 8, 2008