belt

[ belt ]

/ bɛlt /

noun

a band of flexible material, as leather or cord, for encircling the waist.

any encircling or transverse band, strip, or stripe.

an elongated region having distinctive properties or characteristics: a belt of cotton plantations.

Machinery. an endless flexible band passing about two or more pulleys, used to transmit motion from one pulley to the other or others or to convey materials and objects.

Military.

a cloth strip with loops or a series of metal links with grips, for holding cartridges fed into an automatic gun.
a band of leather or webbing, worn around the waist and used as a support for weapons, ammunition, etc.

a series of armor plates forming part of the hull of a warship.

a broad, flexible strip of rubber, canvas, wood, etc., moved along the surface of a fresh concrete pavement to put a finish on it after it has been floated.

a road, railroad, or the like, encircling an urban center to handle peripheral traffic.

Slang. a hard blow or hit.

Slang. a shot of liquor, especially as swallowed in one gulp.

Automotive. a strip of material used in a type of motor-vehicle tire (belted tire), where it is placed between the carcass and the tread for reinforcement.

verb (used with object)

to gird or furnish with a belt.

to surround or mark as if with a belt or band: Garbage cans were belted with orange paint.

to fasten on (a sword, gun, etc.) by means of a belt.

to beat with or as if with a belt, strap, etc.

Slang. to hit very hard, far, etc.: You were lucky he didn't belt you in the mouth when you said that. He belted a triple to right field.

Informal. to sing (a song) loudly and energetically (sometimes followed by out): She can belt out a number with the best of them.

Slang. to drink (a shot of liquor) quickly, especially in one gulp (sometimes followed by down): He belted a few and went back out into the cold.

Idioms for belt

below the belt, not in accord with the principles of fairness, decency, or good sportsmanship: criticism that hit below the belt.

tighten one's belt,

to undergo hardship patiently.
to curtail one's expenditures; be more frugal: They were urged to tighten their belts for the war effort.

under one's belt, Informal.

in one's stomach, as food or drink: With a few Scotches under his belt, he's everyone's friend.
considered as a matter of successful past experience: I don't think our lawyer has enough similar cases under his belt.

Origin of belt

before 1000; Middle English; Old English; compare Old High German balz; both < Latin balteus; see balteus

SYNONYMS FOR belt

12 girdle, encircle.

14 gird (on).

15 flog, lash.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR belt ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for belt

3. Belt and zone agree in their original meaning of a girdle or band. Belt is more used in popular or journalistic writing: the corn or wheat belt. Zone tends to be used in technical language: the Torrid Zone; a parcel-post zone.

OTHER WORDS FROM belt

belt·less, adjective

Words nearby belt

belowdecks, belowground, belsen, belsey operation, belshazzar, belt, belt bag, belt down, belt drive, belt highway, belt line

Example sentences from the Web for belt

Now they are a notch on a belt, and the savior can feel good about themselves.

To Catch a Sex Worker: A&E’s Awful, Exploitative Ambush Show |Samantha Allen |December 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Det. 2: No, not your belt . . . . Remember being out in the sunroom, the room that sits out to the back of the house?

How the U.S. Justice System Screws Prisoners with Disabilities |Elizabeth Picciuto |December 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He would laboriously make his way from desk to loo, belt down a few, then return.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days |David Freeman |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
With one successful mission under its belt, the OSS began to use Schwend as a “bird dog” for other hidden assets.

On the Trail of Nazi Counterfeiters |Dr. Kevin C. Ruffner |September 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

It was late in my career and I was already famous with hundreds of movies under my belt, but nothing like this.

My ‘Kink’ Nightmare: James Franco’s BDSM Porn Documentary ‘Kink’ Only Tells Part of the Story |Aurora Snow |August 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Cammock's hand flew to his belt, he took a step forward, his face suffused with passion.

The Wild Geese |Stanley John Weyman
Beyond the hollow stretched a belt of upheaved ridges of brick-red sandstone.

The Trail of Conflict |Emilie Baker Loring
Suddenly her hand went up to the chain around her neck and then down to her belt.

The Four Corners Abroad |Amy Ella Blanchard
Leaning far out the window, until he seemed to balance on his belt buckle, he began the soul stirring melody "Protestant207 Boys."

The Lumberjack Sky Pilot |Thomas D. Whittles
But you, never have you carried anything of that sort under your belt of greasy hide.

The Legend of the Glorious Adventures of Tyl Ulenspiegel in the land of Flanders and elsewhere |Charles de Coster

British Dictionary definitions for belt

belt

/ (bɛlt) /

noun

a band of cloth, leather, etc, worn, usually around the waist, to support clothing, carry tools, weapons, or ammunition, or as decoration

a narrow band, circle, or stripe, as of colour

an area, esp an elongated one, where a specific thing or specific conditions are found; zone the town belt; a belt of high pressure

a belt worn as a symbol of rank (as by a knight or an earl), or awarded as a prize (as in boxing or wrestling), or to mark particular expertise (as in judo or karate)

See seat belt

a band of flexible material between rotating shafts or pulleys to transfer motion or transmit goods a fan belt; a conveyer belt

a beltcourse See cordon (def. 4)

informal a sharp blow, as with a bat or the fist

below the belt

boxing below the waist, esp in the groin
informal in an unscrupulous or cowardly way

tighten one's belt to take measures to reduce expenditure

under one's belt

(of food or drink) in one's stomach
in one's possession
as part of one's experiencehe had a linguistics degree under his belt

verb

(tr) to fasten or attach with or as if with a belt

(tr) to hit with a belt

(tr) slang to give a sharp blow; punch

(intr often foll by along) slang to move very fast, esp in a car belting down the motorway

(tr) rare to mark with belts, as of colour

(tr) rare to encircle; surround

Derived forms of belt

belted, noun

Word Origin for belt

Old English, from Latin balteus

Scientific definitions for belt

belt

[ bĕlt ]

A geographic region that is distinctive in a specific respect.

Idioms and Phrases with belt

belt

In addition to the idioms beginning with belt

belt down
belt out

also see:

below the belt
bible belt
sun belt
tighten one's belt
under one's belt

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

belt

noun

verb (used with object)

Idioms for belt

Origin of belt

SYNONYMS FOR belt

synonym study for belt

OTHER WORDS FROM belt

Words nearby belt

Example sentences from the Web for belt

British Dictionary definitions for belt

noun

verb

Derived forms of belt

Word Origin for belt

Scientific definitions for belt

Idioms and Phrases with belt

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

belt

noun

verb (used with object)

Idioms for belt

Origin of belt

SYNONYMS FOR belt

synonym study for belt

OTHER WORDS FROM belt

Words nearby belt

Words related to belt

Example sentences from the Web for belt

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for belt

noun

verb

Derived forms of belt

Word Origin for belt

Scientific definitions for belt

Idioms and Phrases with belt

British Dictionary definitions for belt