Belly means the part of the body below the chest. It holds important organs like the stomach. People often say 'belly' to mean the stomach area.
My belly hurts after eating.
He showed his belly to the dog.
This meaning of belly talks about a rounded or curved part of an object. It is often the widest middle area on things like bottles or ships.
The belly of the bottle was wide.
The ship's belly held lots of cargo.
This meaning refers to the lower surface of an animal's body. It can be used to talk about the underside or tummy of animals.
The snake's belly is white.
The cat rolled on its belly.
Here, belly means the feeling inside your stomach when you are scared or excited. People sometimes say 'a belly feeling' for strong emotions inside.
She had a belly feeling about the news.
I felt a belly pain when I was nervous.
As a verb, belly means to stick out or swell in the middle. It describes when something forms a round shape by filling up or pressing outward.
The sack bellied out with fruits.
The boat bellied during the storm.
In music, belly is the rounded body of string instruments. It is the part that helps make sound louder and richer.
The violin's belly is carved carefully.
The guitar belly helps its sound.
This meaning describes the central or main lower area of a large object, such as a ship or airplane. It is often the widest or deepest part.
We are in the belly of the ship.
The plane's belly was badly damaged.
Belly as a verb can mean to swell or fill out with air or wind. People use it to describe sails, flags, or fabric moving this way.
The sail bellied in the strong wind.
The flag bellied out with air.
