belt (redirected from belts)

*under one's belt 

1. Fig. eaten or drunk and in one's stomach. (Fig. on the image of swallowed food ending up under one's belt. *Typically: get something ~; have something ~.) I need to have something filling under my belt. I've had it with just soup. I want to get a nice juicy steak under my belt.

2. Fig. achieved; counted or scored. (Fig. on {2} *Typically: have something ~.) Minnie has over four hundred wins under his belt. This fighter pilot has over 20 kills under his belt.

3. Fig. learned; mastered. (Fig. on {2}. *Typically: get something ~.) Finally, she got good painting techniques under her belt. When I get the right procedures under my belt, I will be more efficient.

belt someone or something down

to secure someone or something with a belt or strap. Please belt the child's seat down and put the child in it. Did you belt down the kids?

belt someone up

to secure someone with a belt, such as a seat belt in a car. I had to belt her up because the seat belt was so complicated. We belted up the kids securely.

See also: up

belt something out

Fig. to sing or play a song loudly and with spirit. When she's playing the piano, she really belts the music out. She really knows how to belt out a song.

See also: out

belt a drink down

Fig. to drink an alcoholic drink rapidly. (See also belt someone or something down.) She belted a couple of drinks down and went out to face her guests. How many drinks did Gloria belt down?

See also: drink

belt the grape

Sl. to drink wine or liquor heavily and become intoxicated. He has a tendency to belt the grape—every afternoon after work. She's been belting the grape more than her husband wants.

See also: grape

buckle someone or something up

to attach someone or something securely with straps that buckle together. (This emphasizes the completeness and secureness of the act.) Buckle the children up before we leave. Buckle up your shoes.

See also: buckle, up

buckle up and belt up

to buckle one's seat belt, as in a car or plane. Please buckle up so our flight can begin. I wish you would obey the law and belt up.

See also: buckle, up

hit someone below the belt 

1. Lit. [for a boxer] to strike an opponent below the belt. (An unfair blow.) The champ hit the contender below the belt and the crowd began to boo like fury. Fred was hit below the belt and suffered considerably.

2. Fig. to deal someone an unfair blow. That's not fair! You told them I was the one who ordered the wrong-size carpet. That's hitting me below the belt. Todd hit below the belt when he said it was all her fault because she had become ill during the trip.

See also: below, hit

rust belt

Fig. the industrial north of the United States. (Patterned on sun belt.) The economy in the rust belt is slowing down. The salt they put on the roads in the winter made my car all rusty. I guess that's why they call this area the rust belt.

See also: rust

take one's belt in (a notch) and pull one's belt in (a notch) 

1. Lit. to tighten one's belt a bit. (Probably because one has not eaten recently or because one has lost weight.) He pulled his belt in a notch and smiled at his success at losing weight. He took in his belt a notch and wished he had something to eat.

2. Fig. to reduce expenditures; to live or operate a business more economically. (As if one were going to have to eat less.) They had to take their belts in a notch budgetarily speaking. The people at city hall will have to pull in their belts a notch unless they want to raise taxes.

See also: take

the sun belt

Fig. the southern U.S. states, where it is generally warm and sunny. I want to retire to the sun belt. The population of the sun belt is exploding.

See also: sun

tighten one's belt

Fig. to manage to spend less money; to use less of something. (See also take one's belt in (a notch).) Things are beginning to cost more and more. It looks like we'll all have to tighten our belts. Times are hard, and prices are high. I can tighten my belt for only so long.

See also: tighten

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be below the belt

if something someone says is below the belt, it is cruel and unfair

Usage notes: In a boxing match it is wrong to hit the person you are fighting against below the belt.

It was below the belt to mention his brother's criminal record.

See also: below

belt and braces

using more than one method to make sure that something is safe or sure to happen Our staff have identity cards and number codes to open doors - that's part of our belt and braces approach to security.

See also: and, brace

the Bible Belt

the southern and central area of the United States, where many people have very strong traditional Christian beliefs Country music is very popular in the Bible Belt.

See also: Bible

tighten your belt

to spend less than you did before because you have less money I've had to tighten my belt since I stopped working full-time.

See also: tighten

under your belt

if you have an experience or a qualification under your belt, you have completed it successfully, and it may be useful to you in the future She was a capable individual, with fourteen years as managing director under her belt. He has several major drama awards under his belt.

See tighten belt

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below the belt

not fair That new advertisement really hits below the belt.

Usage notes: often used with hit, as in the example

Etymology: based on the idea of hitting someone below the belt in boxing, which is against the rules

See also: below

belt out something also belt something out

to sing loudly and with enthusiasm After five decades, Brother Ray can still belt out a soulful song.

Usage notes: sometimes used to describe enthusiastic talk: Keyes has belted out speeches warning about the need to rebuild the nation's moral fiber.

See also: out

buckle up

to fasten a strap that holds you in your seat in a vehicle or aircraft Four out of five children are not correctly buckled up. The pilot asked the passengers to buckle up because we were flying through a storm system.

See also: buckle, up

tighten your belt

to spend less money I've had to tighten my belt since I stopped working full time.

See also: tighten

under your belt

already achieved or experienced She had fourteen years as a manager under her belt and knew the job as well as anyone. He has several literary awards under his belt.