Definition

1. Verb:
   • To be the property of: To be owned by someone or something.
   • To be a member of: To be part of a group, organization, or category.
   • To be connected or related to: To be an appropriate or natural part of something; to be an adjunct.

Usage

• Use "belong to" to indicate ownership or possession.
• Use "belong to" to indicate membership in a group or class.
• Use "belong to" to indicate a logical or natural connection to a place, set, or time.
• The verb "belong" is often followed by the preposition "to" when specifying the owner, group, or category.

Examples

• Indicating Ownership:
  • That beautiful house belongs to my grandparents.
  • Does this pen belong to you?
• Indicating Membership:
  • She belongs to a local book club.
  • These rare animals belong to an endangered species.
• Indicating Connection/Relation:
  • This page doesn't belong to this chapter.
  • That idea belongs to a different era.

Advanced Usage

• "belong to" in passive constructions: While less common, the sense can be expressed passively.
  • The responsibility for this project is believed to belong to the new manager.
• Negation with "belong to": Often used to state that something is out of place or not part of a set.
  • These modern buildings don't belong to the historic district.

Variants and Related Words

• Belong (verb): Can be used without "to" when the context is clear, often with adverbs like "here" or "there".
  • I feel like I don't belong here.
  • Where do these plates belong?
• Belonging (noun): The feeling of being comfortable and happy in a situation or with a group.
  • A sense of belonging is important for mental health.

Synonyms

• Pertain to: Be appropriate, related, or applicable to.
• Be owned by: Be the property of.
• Be a member of: Be part of a group.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Belong with: Suggests that things or people should be together because they form a natural pair or group.
  • This document belongs with the other contracts in the file.
  • He belongs with people who understand his art.

Related Idioms

• To belong to the ages: To be of such great historical importance that it will be remembered forever.
  • His speech was so powerful, it belongs to the ages.
• (Not) to belong in the same sentence/breath: Used to emphasize that two things are so different in quality that they should not be compared.
  • His amateur work doesn't belong in the same sentence as the master's paintings.

Verb

1. be a part or adjunct
   • the uniform looks like it belonged to a museum collection
   • These pages don't belong