below the belt

below the belt
adjective
disregarding the rules (from the notion of an illegal low blow in boxing)
-

her accusations were below the belt

• Similar to: ↑unfair, ↑unjust
• Topics: ↑boxing, ↑pugilism, ↑fisticuffs
adverb
in an unfair manner
-

they dealt with him unfairly

-

their accusations hit below the belt

• Syn: ↑unfairly
• Ant: ↑fairly (for: ↑unfairly)
• Derived from adjective: ↑unfair (for: ↑unfairly)

* * *

UNFAIR, unjust, unacceptable, inequitable; unethical, unprincipled, immoral, unscrupulous, unsporting, sneaky, dishonourable, dishonest, underhand; informal low-down, dirty; Brit. informal out of order, off, a bit thick, not cricket.
→ belt

* * *

adverb
1. : in the area below the waistline

a boxer disqualified for hitting below the belt

2. : in an unfair or cowardly manner

most of the criticism hit below the belt

* * *

below the belt
▪ To hit, etc, an opponent's body lower than the waist (forbidden in some sports)
▪ Hence (figurative) to deliver a mean blow, attack unfairly
● belt

* * *

below the belt phrase
a comment that is below the belt is cruel and unfair

That remark about his weight was a bit below the belt.

Thesaurus: unfairsynonym
Main entry: belt

* * *

unfair or unfairly; disregarding the rules

there has been yet another below-the-belt blow to the workers of Chicago

Origin:
from the notion of an unfair and illegal blow in boxing

* * *

below the belt
informal : too harsh and unfair

That remark was below the belt. = That remark really hit (him) below the belt.

◇ The phrase below the belt comes from the sport of boxing, where it is against the rules to hit your opponent anywhere below the belt.
• • •
Main Entry: ↑belt

* * *

below the ˈbelt idiom
(of a remark) unfair or cruel

•

That was distinctly below the belt!

Main entry: ↑beltidiom

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Below the Belt — may refer to: * Below the belt, a fighting term * Below the Belt (gender), a term used to illustrate the deconstruction of gender * Below the Belt (Hellyeah DVD) * Below the Belt (album), an album by Pigfaceee also*Above the line (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia

  • below the belt — If someone says something that is cruel or unfair, it is below the belt, like the illegal punches in boxing …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • below the belt — ► below the belt unfair; disregarding the rules. [ORIGIN: from the notion of an illegal blow in boxing.] Main Entry: ↑belt …   English terms dictionary

  • below the belt — [adj/adv] nastily and unfairly cowardly, dirty, dishonest, foul, unjust, unscrupulous, unsportsmanlike; concepts 411,674,732 …   New thesaurus

  • below the belt — {adv. phr.} 1. In the stomach; lower than is legal in boxing. * /He struck the other boy below the belt./ 2. {informal} In an unfair or cowardly way; against the rules of sportsmanship or justice; unsportingly; wrongly. * /It was hitting below… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • below the belt — {adv. phr.} 1. In the stomach; lower than is legal in boxing. * /He struck the other boy below the belt./ 2. {informal} In an unfair or cowardly way; against the rules of sportsmanship or justice; unsportingly; wrongly. * /It was hitting below… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • Below the belt — Mainly used in combat sports such as boxing and kickboxing, the term below the belt is referred to all the area of the body that lies, as the term indicates, below the line of the belt, including the genital area, legs, and crotch. In these… …   Wikipedia

  • below\ the\ belt — adv. phr. 1. In the stomach; lower than is legal in boxing. He struck the other boy below the belt. 2. informal In an unfair or cowardly way; against the rules of sportsmanship or justice; unsportingly; wrongly. It was hitting below the belt for… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • below the belt —    If someone says something that is cruel or unfair, it is below the belt, like the illegal punches in boxing.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    An action or remark described as below the belt is considered to be unfair or cruel.    … …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • 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 …   New idioms dictionary

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