Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Belfry"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Belfry \Bel"fry\, n. [OE. berfray movable tower used in sieges,
OF. berfreit, berfroit, F. beffroi, fr. MHG. bervrit,
bercvrit, G. bergfriede, fr. MHG. bergen to protect (G.
bergen to conceal) + vride peace, protection, G. friede
peace; in compounds often taken in the sense of security, or
place of security; orig. therefore a place affording
security. G. friede is akin to E. free. See {Burg}, and
{Free}.]
1. (Mil. Antiq.) A movable tower erected by besiegers for
purposes of attack and defense.
2. A bell tower, usually attached to a church or other
building, but sometimes separate; a campanile.
3. A room in a tower in which a bell is or may be hung; or a
cupola or turret for the same purpose.
4. (Naut.) The framing on which a bell is suspended.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
belfry
n 1: a bell tower; usually stands alone unattached to a building
[syn: {campanile}]
2: a room (often at the top of a tower) where bells are hung
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