belly

noun (plural bellies)

• the front part of the human trunk below the ribs, containing the stomach and bowels.
• the stomach, especially as representing the body’s need for food:they’ll fight all the better on empty bellies
• the underside of a bird or other animal.
• a cut of pork from the underside between the legs.
• a pig’s belly as food, especially as a traded commodity.
• the rounded underside of a ship or aircraft.
• the top surface of an instrument of the violin family, across which the strings are placed.

verb (bellies, bellying, bellied)

• 1swell or cause to swell: [no object]:as she leaned forward her sweater bellied out [with object]:the wind bellied the sail out

• 2 [no object] (belly up to) North American informal move or sit close to (a bar or table):regulars who first bellied up to the bar years before