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intr.v. be·longed, be·long·ing, be·longs 1. a. To be proper, appropriate, or suitable: A napkin belongs at every place setting. b. To be in an appropriate situation or environment: That plant belongs outdoors. 2. a. To be a member of a group, such as a club. b. To fit into a group naturally: No matter what I did, I just didn't belong. 3. To be owned by someone. Often used with to: "The earth belongs to the living" (Thomas Jefferson). 4. 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 the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] |
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