belfry
(ˈbɛlfrɪ)
Forms: (2–3 berefreid, berfreit), 4 berfrey, -fray, -froiss, 5 barfray, 5–7 belfray(e, 6 belfroy, bellfray, -froy, belfrie, -fre, 6–7 belfery, 6– belfrey, belfry, (7 belfore, befroy, beffroy, 8 bellfry.)
[ME. berfrey, -ay a. OF. berfrei, -ai, -ay (also berfroi, later belfrei, belfroi, befroi, mod. beffroi), pointing to a late L. type berefrēdus, from bereˈfrĭdus, adopted f. Teutonic *bergfrid; in MHG. bercvrit, -frit, berchfrit, berfrit (also berhfride), MDu. bergfert, -frede, in sense 1 below. The subsequent change of the first r to l by dissimilation from following r (as in armarium, almarium, almerie; peregrinum, pelegrin, pilgrim; parafredus, palefrei, palfrey) is common in later med.L.; it is rare, and exceptional in Fr. (where the normal form dropped the r, befroi, beffroi); in Eng. belfray did not appear bef. 15th c., being probably at first a literary imitation of med.Lat.; its acceptance was doubtless due to popular association with bell, and the particular application which was in consequence given to the word. The meaning has passed from a ‘pent-house’ a ‘movable-tower’ used by besiegers and besieged, to ‘a tower to protect watchmen, a watch-tower, beacon-tower, alarm-bell tower, bell-tower, place where a bell is hung.’ The sense of ‘pent-house’ or ‘shelter-shed’ is retained dialectally in Lincolnshire and Notts.
The etymology of Ger. bergfrid, bercvrit, presents some difficulties; but it is generally agreed that the latter part is a form of OHG. fridu, OTeut. friþu-z, ‘peace, security, shelter, place of shelter or safety’ (cf. the range of meaning of OE. friðu, frið, ME. frith), the final vowel being dropped as in proper names, Gottfrid, Sigfrid, etc.; and that the former part is the stem of berg-en to protect, defend; the whole meaning ‘protecting’ or ‘defensive place of shelter,’ an obvious description of a pent-house fitted to ward off missiles from those to whom it gave shelter during siege operations. (The possibility that berg- here means ‘mountain’ seems precluded by the sense: but see the discussion of the word by Dr. Chance in N. & Q. vi. xii. 284, 412, etc.). For the form taken by bergfrid in Romanic, and thus in Eng., cf. the adoption of OHG. fridu in late L. as fridus, frēdus ‘peace, protection,’ the proper names from G. -frid, Gottefridus, Godefrey, Galfridus, Geoffrey, and the n. affray, OF. esfrei, mod. effroi, parallel to berfrei, beffroi. MedL. had the forms berefridus, berfredus, bil-, bal-, belfredus, berte-, balte-, bati-, buti-fredus, with the latter of which cf. the It. battifredo, assimilated by popular etymology with battere to beat (the tocsin), to strike (as a clock).]
† 1. A wooden tower, usually movable, used in the middle ages in besieging fortifications. Probably, in its simplest form, it was a mere shed or pent-house, intended to shelter the besiegers while operating against a fortification; but in its developed form it was constructed with many offensive appurtenances, so as to make it a formidable engine of attack. See the quotation from Ld. Berners. Obs.
| [a 1143 William of Malmesbury iv. 141 (in Du Cange), Turris non magna in modum aedificiorum facta (Berefreid [other MSS. berfreit] appellant), quod fastigium murorum æquaret. Simeon Durh. an. 1123 Ligneam turrim quam Berfreit vocant, erexit.] c 1300 K. Alis. 2777 Alisaundre..Fast asailed heore wallis, Myd berfreyes, with alle gyn. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B 1187 At vch brugge a berfray on basteles wyse, Þat seuen syþe vch a day asayled þe ȝates. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 708 Alexander..Lap fra a berfrois on the wall. c 1430 Syr. Gener. 7811 He purveid for maygnelles and belfrayes, And othre ordinaunce. 1483 Cath. Angl. 21. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cix. 131 Two belfroys of great tymbre, with iii. stages, euery belfroy on four great whelys, and the sydes towardes the towne, were covered with cure boly [F. cuir bouilli] to defende them fro fyre and fro shotte; and into euery stage, ther weren poynted C. archers. 1530 Palsgr. 197 Bellfray, beavfroy. |
2. A shed used as a shelter for cattle or for the protection of carts and agricultural implements, or produce. Still in local use: ‘a shed made of wood and sticks, furze, or straw.’ (E. Peacock Gloss. of Manley & Corringham, Lincoln.)
| 1553 Court-Roll of Manor of Scotter, Lincoln 9 Octr., R.R. amovit omnia ligna sua super le belfrey et jacent in communi via. 1590 Invent J. Nevil in Midl. Co. Hist. Collector II. 29 Item the belfrey with other wood, xxs. 1873 in Peacock Gloss M. & C. 21 The belfrey..was ruinous, and liable to fall upon the passers-by. |
† 3. A tower for the protection of a watchman, a watch-tower; a beacon-tower, alarm-bell tower. (A sense perhaps not used in England, though common in France.) Obs.
| 1612 Foxe A. & M. (1684) III. 899 Being now come nigh to the Befroy (which is a watchtower standing before the City-Hall where the Clock is). c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) I. 461 A beacon or watch-tower is called beffroy, whereas the true word is l'effroy. |
4. a. A bell-tower; generally attached to a church or other building, but sometimes standing separate.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 30 Bellfray, campanarium. 1494 Fabyan vii. 330 The scolars..put the legatte in such feere, that he, for his sauegarde, toke the belfray of Osney, and there helde hym. 1556 Chron. Grey Friars (1852) 73 The grett belfery that stode in Powlles church-yerde. 1674 tr. Scheffer's Lapland viii. 26 Adjoining to their churches they have belfrys, and houses for the use of Priests. 1849 Freeman Archit. 177 The introduction of steeples or belfries. 1861 N. Woods Pr. Wales in Canada 347 A little glass lantern, like a belfry. |
b. The room or storey of the church tower in which the bells are hung.
| 1549 Thomas Hist. Italie 74 Saincte Markes steeple is..so well built, that withinfoorth an horse maie be ledde vp vnto the bellfroy. 1601 Shakes. Per. ii. i. 41 If I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfrey. 1714 Gay What d'ye call it Prel. 3 Fetch the Leathern Bucket that hangs in the Bellfry. 1823 P. Nicholson Pract. Build. 571 The part above the belfrey, which contains the clock-work, is of an octagonal form. |
† c. That part of the floor of the church under the tower, where the ringers stand to ring the bells, sometimes parted from the main body of the church by a curtain; this was the seat of the poor, and sometimes used as a schoolroom. Obs.
| 1549 Latimer Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 125 Yea, a poor woman in the belfre hath as good authoritie to offer vp thys sacrifyce, as hath the byshop in his pontificalibus. 1588 Fraunce Lawiers Log. Ded. ¶iv. b, They may plague poore boyes with false Latine in a belfraye. a 1617 Hieron Wks. II. 75 The gentleman that sitteth in the quire, as well as the poore that is ranged in the belfry. 1637 Bastwick Litany ii. 17 In the Font or belfore, or other part of the Church. 1659 Gauden Tears Ch. 253 (D.) Teaching school in a belfry. |
d. (See quot.)
| 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., Belfry is more particularly used for the timber-work, which sustains the bells in a steeple: or that wooden structure to which the bells in church-steeples are fastened. |
e. The head. See also bat n.1 1 b. slang.
| 1907 N. Munro Daft Days xxxii. 267 When they've got cobwebs in their little brilliantined belfries, I'm full of the songs of spring. 1907, 1911, etc. [see Bat n.1 1 b]. 1911 H. S. Harrison Queed vii. 84 Something loose in his belfry. |
5. Naut. ‘An ornamental framing, made of stanchions, at the after-beams of the forecastle, with a covering, under which the ship's bell is hung.’ Weale's Rudim. Navigation.
| 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Ecusson,..a..scutcheon upon the stern, forecastle, or belfry. 1776 Phil. Trans. LXVII. 88 The electrical matter darted from the mast to the belfry. |
6. attrib., as in belfry-key, belfry-stage, belfry-tower, belfry-window.
| 1870 F. Wilson Ch. Lindisf. 169 The belfry stage has semi-circular headed couplets. 1874 Parker Illustr. Goth. Archit. i. vi. 202 Magdalen College..tower was originally intended to stand alone as a campanile, or belfry-tower. 1879 Sir G. Scott Lect. Archit. II. 38 The belfry-windows are often of two lights. 1883 St. James's Gaz. 30 Nov. 5/1 [The churchwardens] have also the custody of the belfry-keys. |