belong

A humorous declaration of victory. The phrase comes from a poor Japanese-to-English translation in the 1992 video game Zero Wing, which was then used as an Internet meme from the early 2000s. Ha-ha, we win again! All your base are belong to us! All your base are belong to us! Pay up, sucker! A: "Man, how did you find our hiding place?" B: "Who cares? All your base are belong to us!"

To be someone's possession. No, that coat belongs to Rachel—mine has a hood. Who do these headphones belong to? The pink water bottle belongs to Jenny, and the green one is mine.

To be a member of something, such as a team or club. My daughter belongs to the debate team at school. I belong to the gym on Main Street if you ever want to come work out with me. A: "Wait, you belonged to the lacrosse team in high school?" B: "I know, I don't seem very athletic, do I?"

To be properly categorized under a certain status, heading, or title. When you files these documents, they belong under "July 2008." What heading does that paragraph belong under? That department always belonged under the CFO, they're just making it official now.

proverb The winner is entitled to all of the rewards, bonuses, or benefits of success. (A variation of "to the victor go the spoils.") John won the betting pool, so he gets the whole pot of money from those who paid in. To the victor belong the spoils! A lot of other contestants on the singing competition are well worthy of signing a record deal, but to the victor belong the spoils.

to be owned by someone or something. This one belongs to me. This desk belongs to the company. You can't take it home!

to be classified under some general category. This one belongs under the other category. This file belongs under A.

Prov. The winners achieve power over people and property. The mayor took office and immediately fired many workers and hired new ones. Everyone said, "To the victors belong the spoils."

The winner gets everything, as in He not only won the tournament but ended up with numerous lucrative endorsements-to the victor belong the spoils . This expression alludes to the spoils system of American politics, whereby the winner of an election gives desirable jobs to party supporters. [First half of 1800s]

Winner gets all. The Roman historians frequently mentioned spolia optima—very best spoils—which actually referred to the personal spoils of the enemy’s general when slain by the opposing commander. The current cliché became popular long after that and was frequently used in connection with the spoils system in American politics (whereby the winning party gives desirable posts to its supporters) by Senators William Marcy (1832), Huey Long (1934), and others. Justice William J. Brennan used it in writing the 1990 U.S. Supreme Court decision against political patronage: “To the victor belong only those spoils that may be constitutionally obtained” (Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois, 88-1872).