What does belling mean?
Belling is a word with two main strands of meaning. Its oldest and most evocative sense describes the loud, resonant baying of hounds in full pursuit — the 'belling' that hunters once relied upon to track a chase by ear, a term preserved chiefly in British hunting tradition and classical country writing. In its more literal strand, belling refers to the ringing of bells or the act of fitting an animal or object with one, as in the famous fable of 'belling the cat,' in which mice propose hanging a bell around the cat's neck so its approach can be heard — a plan everyone applauds until the question becomes who will volunteer. The word derives ultimately from 'bell,' which entered English via Old French from medieval Latin. Though rarely heard in modern everyday speech, belling survives in literary, rural, and proverbial usage, carrying connotations of warning, pursuit, and the clear, far-carrying voice of sound.
The loud, resonant baying or cry of hounds in full chase; also, the ringing or sounding of bells.
"They knew the quarry had broken cover when the belling of the pack rose through the woods."
Chiefly used in traditional hunting contexts.
Present participle of 'bell': to fit with a bell or to make a bell-like sound.
"Belling the cat proved easier proposed than done."
In 'belling the cat,' the mice agree to hang a bell on the cat's neck so they can hear it coming — the hard part is finding someone brave enough to actually do it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of belling
Belling derives from the English noun 'bell,' which came into Middle English from Old French 'bel' or 'belle,' itself descended from medieval Latin 'bella,' a variant of Latin 'bellus,' meaning beautiful or fine — the same root that gives us beauty, beau, and embellish. The word was formed with the common -ing suffix to denote either the action of sounding a bell or the characteristic cry likened to one, as when hounds give voice in full cry. Its figurative fame rests largely on the medieval fable of 'belling the cat,' which cemented the phrase in English proverb long ago.
Related word forms
How belling is actually used
The hound-cry sense is chiefly British and largely confined to traditional hunting contexts and older literature. The verbal use appears mostly in fixed phrases such as 'belling the cat.'
Easily confused with belling
Bellying refers to swelling or bulging outward (as sails do in wind), whereas belling relates to bells or the cry of hounds.