a strip of leather or other material worn, typically round the waist, to support or hold in clothes or to carry weaponshe tightened his leather belt an extra notcha sword belt[as modifier] a belt buckle▪short for seat belt▪a belt worn as a sign of rank or achievementhe was awarded the victor's belt▪a belt of a specified colour, marking the attainment of a particular level in judo, karate, or similar sports[as modifier] brown-belt level▪a person who is qualified to wear a belt of a specified colour in judo, karate, etc.Shaun became a brown belt in judo▪the beltthe punishment of being struck with a beltbe quiet, or it's the belt2. a continuous band of material used in machinery for transferring motion from one wheel to anothera great wheel driven by a leather belt▪a conveyor belt▪a flexible strip carrying machine-gun cartridges3. a strip or encircling area that is different in nature or composition from its surroundingsthe asteroid belta belt of trees4. [informal] a heavy blowshe administered a good belt with her stickverb1. [with object] fasten with a beltshe belted her raincoat firmly▪ [no object, with adverbial] be fastened with a beltthe jacket belts at the waist▪ [with object] attach or secure with a belthe was securely belted into the passenger seat2. [with object] hit [someone or something] hardshe belted him over the head with her racquethe belted the ball downfield3. [no object, with adverbial of direction] [informal] rush or dash in a specified directionhe belted out of the side door4. [with object] [mainly US English] gulp [a drink] quicklycocktails should be sipped and savoured, not belted downhe belted it back and poured another
phrases
below the beltbelt and bracestighten one's beltunder one's belt
phrasal verbs
belt downbelt outbelt up
word origin
Old English, of Germanic origin, from Latin balteus ‘girdle’
belt drive
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UK /ˈbɛlt drʌɪv/nouna mechanism in which power is transmitted by the movement of a continuous flexible beltExamplesTractor requirements are just 19-30 horsepower to operate the PTO belt drive and transport hydraulics.North AmericanThe front end of the crankshaft features a damper designed to absorb idiosyncratic vibrations and minimize the transmission of vibration to the belt drive.North AmericanThe new one will be pretty similar to the current one, but I am going to have hydraulically driven flails instead of the belt drive,’ he says.Canadian‘All of the accessories - including the water pump-can be driven off a single AC motor, which eliminates the need for the belt drive on the front of the engine and the parasitic losses that come with it,’ says Louckes.North American
belt loop
noun1. a strip of material sewn on to the waistband of a garment to hold a belt in placeshe had her thumbs hooked in the belt loops of her dark denimsExamplesI've lost the belt, so I am considering cutting off the belt loops.BritishTheir jaws slack, they slouch just so, and their thumbs hook their belt loops.Canadian2. a loop used to attach an object to a beltscrews on the belt loop lock the holster securely to the beltExamplesThe location of the holster will change given the location of the belt loop.North AmericanThe stitching is clean and even, with double reinforcing where the holster meets the belt loops.North American
belt sander
nouna sander that uses a moving abrasive belt to smooth surfacesExamplesYou'll need a drum sander, a belt sander or both.North AmericanTo sand the floor, you need a drum sander and possibly a belt sander which can be rented at your neighborhood Home Depot or hardware store.North AmericanAfter the board dries, take out of the clamps and use a belt sander to smooth the top and bottom surfaces.North AmericanRent a floor sander or belt sander and grind it down.North AmericanUse a power sander, such as the belt sander shown here, with 80-grit paper.North AmericanAt this time, take a belt sander or sanding disc to smooth the perimeter of the stack so that all of the layers are smooth and even.North American
belt down
belt noun1. [of rain] fall hardrain belted down on the tin roofExamplesThe horse lay there, thrashing violently, the Cowgirl, unconscious, the rains still belting on them, the funnel taking down everything in its path to their right.North AmericanFrom the re-start the rain started belting down, effectively killing off any enterprising backline play and the Bulldogs pack were left to slog it out in the trenches.South AfricanThe steady rain was not doing the pitch too much harm but just a couple of hours before kick-off it absolutely belted down.BritishAnd somewhere - I can't remember where we'd got to - this thunderstorm came and it belted down.British2. [of the sun] radiate intense heat; be very strongby the time we arrived, the sun was already belting down
belt out
belt nounbelt something out , belt out somethingsing or play a song loudly and forcefullyshe belted out classics for half an hourExamplesThe first few odd-shaped pop-rock-country songs are belted out with a large amount of energy, capturing the melodies of the original recordings but adding a dirtier, rockier feel.BritishI could hear my heart pounding in my chest as he picked the song back up, belting it out and earning the cheering that he used to draw so easily.North AmericanWe somehow knew all of the words to all of the songs, and we belted them out at the top of our lungs until Jessica yelled at us to save our voices.North AmericanShe belted the song out, and Dave stood up in awe.North American
belt up
[British English, informal] belt noun1. [usually in imperative] be quietfor God's sake, belt upExamplesHe is the last person in the world to ever contemplate telling the President to belt up!So maybe we should just belt up and show you the script.North American2. put on a seat beltdrivers and adult passengers who fail to belt up can expect to receive a fixed penalty ticketExamplesWe want people to feel uncomfortable if they have not belted up; wearing a seat belt is part of driving,’ she said.BritishFord Dealers of Ireland are supporting the National Safety Council in a new seatbelt campaign aimed at encouraging the 43% of Irish motorists who never wear a seatbelt to belt up.Irish
Borscht Belt
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UK /bɔːʃt/noun [North American English, informal] a resort area in the Catskill Mountains frequented particularly by Jewish people of eastern European origin[as modifier] Borscht Belt comediansExamplesHe may be the last link to the old Borscht Belt comedians, the old Vegas, the old nightclubs and stage shows, the real swank days of lounge culture.North AmericanThe nasal Borscht Belt shtick was tired in the movie, but on stage it's irritating.North AmericanThe Borscht Belt was where 9-year-old Ames had his first gig, when a ‘Jackie Mason type’ took Jonathan for an easy mark, only to get a wisecrack in response.North AmericanThe stories in ABC's ‘Arabian Nights’ may be familiar, but the Borscht Belt humor and cute Israeli star add a frisson of Peace Accord to the project.North American
town belt
noun [mass noun] [New Zealand English] areas of open land around a city, on which building is restrictedWellington's fantastic town belt helps make the city specialExamplesThe city administration had to look beyond the area within the four town belts.New ZealandThe town belt is to be surveyed by helicopter this week.New ZealandLast week's storms coming hard on the heels of a wet and windy January have ravaged Wellington's roadside trees and felled whole stands in the town belt.New ZealandHe is one of only three consultants to the council regarding mountain-bike access to the town belt.New Zealand
Bible Belt
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UK /ˈbʌɪbl bɛlt/nounthe Bible Beltthose areas of the southern and midwestern United States and western Canada where Protestant fundamentalism is widely practisedI grew up in the Bible beltExamplesThe born-again Baptist governor is telling voters in this Bible Belt state that their tax system is ‘immoral’ and needs repair.BritishSince we're in the middle of the Bible Belt, we've been spending most of our time interviewing Christians and going to Christian churches, which are on almost every corner in many areas of the city.North AmericanBut the coach is more conservative than a Bible Belt preacher.North AmericanThe Northwest may never be a Bible Belt; however, northwesterners do and will respond to the gospel message.North American
rust belt
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UK /ˈrʌst bɛlt/nounthe Rust Belt [often as modifier] [informal, mainly North American English] a part of a country characterized by declining industry and a falling population, especially in the American Midwest and north-eastern statesa rust-belt townExamplesThe darkest red areas are the opposite: heavily industrialized northeast France [including Lille] with high industrial unemployment, communist labor unions and rust-belt industries.North AmericanIn the view of some it is as if the management of the FRG has failed, in its hostile takeover of a failed rust-belt industry, to treat its newly acquired property with sufficient sangfroid.North American
beltline
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UK /ˈbɛltlʌɪn/nounthe part of a person's body or a garment around which a belt is placed; a waistlineyour tie should reach your beltline
Kuiper belt
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UK /ˈkʌɪpə ˌbɛlt/nouna region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, believed to contain many comets, asteroids, and other small bodies made largely of iceExamplesThe objects in the Kuiper belt represent remnants from the formation of our solar system.North AmericanScientists speculate that it could be a body from the distant Kuiper belt, way out in the outer solar system.British
word origin
1980s: named after Gerard P. Kuiper [1905–73], Dutch-born US astronomer
below the belt
belt noundisregarding the rules; unfairshe said one of them had to work; Eddie thought that was below the belt
word origin
from the notion of an unfair and illegal blow in boxingExamplesAnd every time The President attacks him in a way that's perceived as unfair or below the belt, as normal as that is in politics, and of course it is, I think it damages that perception.North AmericanIf they're seen as unfair, as below the belt, as smear tactics, they can backfire on the candidate in the long term.North AmericanHe stressed: ‘This insult was way below the belt, untrue and unjust.’BritishSo, there was no way that anything was underhand or anything was below the belt or anything was conspired or lied to.Australian
belt and braces
belt noun [British English] [of a policy or action] providing double security, by using two means to the same endthe envelope was sealed with tape and staples, a real belt and braces job
word origin
from the literal belt and braces for holding up a pair of loose trousersExamplesOf course that will not stop all viruses and there really is no reason why, on a computer costing many hundreds of pounds, you should not spend less than £50 on anti-virus software, belt and braces if you like.BritishIt may be an attempt at a get out or a legal belt and braces against inevitable environmental criticism if the plan is approved.British
conveyor belt
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UK /kənˈveɪjə ˌbɛlt/nouna continuous moving band of fabric, rubber, or metal used for transporting objects from one place to anothera baggage conveyor beltgoods are assembled on a moving conveyor beltthe conveyor belt of education [figurative]ExamplesThese people get a thrill from watching their items travel down the conveyor belt.North AmericanThat means lifting young people off the conveyor belt to crime.British
explosive belt
also explosives beltnouna belt fitted with explosives that are connected to a detonator, as worn by a suicide bomberthe bomber mingled among the crowd and detonated an explosive beltExamplesHe said two of the men were wearing explosive belts, suggesting they were planning suicide attacks.North AmericanTwo gunmen then appeared, spraying bullets before detonating their explosive belts near the vehicles.North AmericanHer explosives belt failed to detonate.North AmericanThe police seized weapons including explosive belts, automatic weapons, hand grenades and ammunition.North American
banana belt
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UK /bəˈnɑːnə bɛlt/noun [North American English, informal] a region with a comparatively warm climateExamplesAlaskans, with what passes for humour, call this relatively temperate south-eastern corner of their state ‘the banana belt’.BritishIt also thrives in the banana belts of the inland valleys if they are well enough protected.North AmericanBut it's an unusual pocket of warmth, resulting from marine effects and a coastline that curves inland, that has helped to earn this area a reputation as the banana belt of Oregon.North AmericanIn fact, some slopes are called banana belts, because they remain frost-free much longer than valley floors, which may be subjected to hard frosts.North American
tighten one's belt
belt nouncut one's expenditure; live more frugallyshe said the poor must tighten their beltsExamplesBut, are we tightening our belt before we need to?AustralianIf necessary, in hard times, one tightened one's belt and went without.British‘This time last year I could easily get through £100 a month on, say, clothes, make-up and going out to lunch on my day off with friends but I have definitely tightened my belt,’ she laments.British‘There's not much you can do, other than to tighten your belt and get through the period,’ said the general manager of the Westin Convention Center Hotel.North American
under one's belt
belt noun1. safely or satisfactorily achieved, experienced, or acquiredhe now has almost a year as minister under his beltExamplesIf you're just starting out, McKendrick's advice is to do six months in one place then move on: ‘Keep doing that and you'll have valuable experience under your belt.’BritishAnd, even when you've landed your dream job, there's no harm in getting a bit more work experience under your belt.British2. [of food or drink] consumedGus already had a large brandy under his beltExamplesBut with a few Swirlspice drinks under my belt, and the giddiness of it being the Friday of a very free weekend, I catch myself singing along, happily.North AmericanWith a few drinks under his belt, my dad became gregarious and charming - telling jokes and flirting.British
brown belt
noun1. a belt of a brown colour marking a level of proficiency below that of a black belt in judo, karate, or other martial artsExamplesI know about your brown belt in Karate, Judo, and Tae Kwon Do.North AmericanThis is probably unrealistic, given that Razayee has only a brown belt in judo.BritishSure he'd done some karate sparring with Manda, but his skill was still on the beginner's level, unlike Manda, who had a brown belt in karate.North AmericanSince you all at least had a brown belt in martial arts in Terminate 1, we will revise and I will see how good you all are.North American2. a person qualified to wear a brown beltExamplesI'm a brown belt in Karate, Judo, and Tae Kwon Do.North AmericanI'm beginning to sense that brown belts are the karate equivalent of World War I infantrymen.North AmericanVictoria recalls the night they were all wrestling and Cara-Beth, a brown belt in karate, chipped one of Tiffany's teeth.North AmericanBesides, she is a second degree brown belt in karate.Indian
cartridge belt
nouna belt with pockets or loops for cartridges of ammunitionExamplesDuring an earlier hearing the court heard that in December last year police raided Knights' home and in the loft they found the sawn-off 12-gauge shotgun, a cartridge belt and cartridges which were compatible with the gun.BritishIn the loft they found a sawn-off, single-barrel 12-gauge shotgun, a cartridge belt and a number of cartridges which were compatible with the gun.BritishThe wrist cartridge belt holds six cartridges in a handy manner on the off-side wrist where you need them most in a hurry.North AmericanFirst we examined the Ermine, a lightweight, 34 oz, .45 Colt designed for daily wear, whether in a holster, mounted on a cartridge belt, or a pants belt.North AmericanHe had a rifle, a pair of pearl handled Colt.45 caliber pistols which he wore on a cartridge belt around his hips, an enormous hunting knife and enough ammunition to stock a small arsenal.North AmericanAround his waist was a looped cartridge belt and a holstered .44 Colt Model 1860 Army revolver with wooden grips.North American
chastity belt
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UK /ˈtʃastɪtɪ bɛlt/noun [historical] a garment or device designed to prevent the woman wearing it from having sexual intercourseExamples‘I should think a chastity belt might be a good start,’ said Carolyn.BritishVirginity doesn't imply being locked up with a chastity belt - today virginity means having respect for your body.CanadianUnlike the chastity belt, which functions literally to lock up the wife's private parts, the marriage girdle functions in a figurative sense, as a sign that the woman is off limits for other men's use.BritishThe nearly fifty items included a European iron chastity belt next to an English male anti-masturbation device.North American
commuter belt
noun [British English] the area surrounding a city from which a large number of people travel to work each daythe London commuter beltExamplesThat's what is happening in both Edinburgh and Dublin, as skyrocketing property prices stretch the commuter belt into surrounding counties.BritishAlthough the towns were designed to be self-sufficient, in most cases they merely widened the commuter belt into the cities, increasing road traffic and pollution.BritishThe housing provided by developers will be affordable in name only and will more than likely be located in the commuter belt or on the outskirts of cities such as Dublin.IrishAngry residents who claim their village is being turned into a commuter belt are fighting plans for more houses in the area.British
cotton belt
nounthe cotton-producing region of the southern USExamplesA few thousand hectares of Muscadine grapes are grown in the cotton belt in the south eastern United States.BritishTwo decades of rising prices had encouraged many tidewater planters to sell their slaves to new farmers in the expanding cotton belt of Alabama and Mississippi.North AmericanLong before the ‘Dust Bowl’ conditions of the 1930s caught the nation's attention, he called for diversified farming in the cotton belt and the use of terracing to control erosion.North AmericanThe book is at its best in detailing those institutions, as in the chapters on rural and small-town communities, African Americans in the South's cotton belt, and the sporting and nightlife attractions of New York City and Chicago.North AmericanShortly after his birth [or maybe before, the records are unclear] his father, a lawyer, moved to Columbia County, Georgia, on the Savannah River, in the heart of that state's rising cotton belt.North American
drive belt
nouna belt that transmits drive from a motor, engine, or line shaft to a moving part or machine toolExamplesThe K950 Active has an enclosed drive belt to protect the transmission in the cutting arm from dust and moisture, and a completely new blade guard with rubber bearings.North AmericanIt allows faster engine warm-up, circulates coolant to provide heat to the cabin when the engine is off, and eliminates the need for an external drive belt, making the engine shorter.North AmericanYou see, cracking, burning, splitting, abrasions, or fraying of your Mazda drive belt could lead to engine failure.North AmericanFor instance, heat is generated at the bearings, within the blower's internal drive system, by the drive belt, and even by the friction of the air flowing through the blower.North American
fan belt
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UK /ˈfan bɛlt/noun[in a motor-vehicle engine] a belt that transmits motion from the driveshaft to the radiator fan and the dynamo or alternatorExamplesWe thought it was the drive pulley for the water pump, which meant it would be a bit of a task to fix, and as an engine without a fan belt means no power-steering, no battery charging, no water pumping, etc.AustralianOne of the important parts of each and every Mazda is the drive belt, or more commonly known as the fan belt.North AmericanIf the water pump cannot turn, something might be wrong with the fan belt.North AmericanIt turned out the fan belt which drives the air conditioner had broken and the vehicle was later replaced.South African
garter belt
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UK /ˈɡɑːtə bɛlt/noun [North American English] a suspender beltExamplesBeside this, an armchair was covered in a wild outgrowth of clothes: summer dresses; stockings; suspenders; a garter belt; an ornate white basque that she had worn for him one night.IrishThe dress lay open in the back to reveal a black lace bra, panties and the garter belt that lay against her hips.North AmericanA warmly welcomed returning veteran is the garter belt.North AmericanUnhooking her stockings, she rolled them down before taking off her garter belt and slipping the gown over her head.North AmericanFor the seven or so people who've never heard of the campaign, let's just say it involves a man, a dingy apartment, a chicken suit, and a garter belt.North AmericanShe straightened the sheer black hose and attached it to her garter belt.North American
lap belt
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UK /ˈlap bɛlt/nouna safety belt worn across the lapExamplesThey should only wear a two-point lap belt if a three-point seat belt is not available.BritishA three passenger rear seat is optional, but the centre position is only fitted with a lap belt.North AmericanWearing a lap belt keeps you anchored to the car seat and your shoulder belt keeps your upper body from pitching forward and hitting the airbag as it deploys.North AmericanI was sitting facing left, and as I strapped the lap belt, I fumbled with the shoulder harness.North AmericanThe highway patrol and other law enforcement officers will never know your lap belt is not hooked up.North AmericanSecondly, the member was only wearing a lap belt.North American
money belt
nouna belt with a pouch for carrying moneywear a money belt to protect yourself against pickpocketsExamplesCarry cash and credit cards in a travel pouch or money belt worn inside your clothes.North AmericanI was very glad I had thought to bring a money belt.North AmericanBazzi is more prepared than others, he tells me in Arabic, looking cautiously over his shoulder before fumbling in his money belt.BritishI carried my money in a money belt and asked the price of a taxi ride before getting in.North American
mortgage belt
noun [Australian and New Zealand English] an area in which many people are paying off a mortgage on their home, regarded as electorally volatilethe suburb consists of new mortgage belts and million-dollar canal estatesthe election will be largely decided by voters in the mortgage beltExamplesMany people even in the vital mortgage belt had probably not even fully registered that there was an election campaign under way.AustralianThe party's candidates in mortgage belt seats are edgy.Australian
radiation belt
noun [Astronomy] a region surrounding a planet where charged particles accumulate under the influence of the planet's magnetic fieldExamplesThat orbit regularly takes the station near the auroral zone and the ‘horns’ of the outer radiation belt - where the trapped particles descend toward the atmosphere.North AmericanA major finding of the magnetospheric imaging instrument is the discovery of a new radiation belt just above Saturn's cloud tops, up to the inner edge of the D-ring.North AmericanOther measurements obtained during the mission provided new data on the Earth's radiation belt and the discovery that the Moon has no magnetic field.BritishIn 1958, the Explorer III became the US's first satellite and it also discovered Earth's radiation belt.North American
safety belt
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UK /ˈseɪftɪ bɛlt/nouna belt or strap securing a person to prevent injury, especially in a vehicle or aircraftExamplesDarren sighed and strapped on the safety belt on her before he turned to the wheel.North AmericanBut as Johnson secured his safety belt, his back apparently came in contact with an energized, 14,000-volt line, burning him badly.North AmericanRandy strapped on a safety belt and headed up after him.North AmericanAlex secured the safety belt, then retrieved the pager and replayed the message.North American
shoulder belt
nouna bandolier or other strap passing over one shoulder and under the opposite arm
stockbroker belt
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UK //noun [British English] an affluent residential area outside a large cityExamplesA Surrey police spokeswoman said the crime happened on a quiet country road in the stockbroker belt, an area with a low crime rate, as the woman was driving home from an evening with friends in London.BritishThe area includes the Tatton villages of Alderley Edge and Prestbury in what used to be the stockbroker belt; today the richest residents are just as likely to be soap stars, Premiership footballers - and their managers.BritishThe father-of-six eagerly grasped the chance to own an eight-bedroom slice of British history; a mock Tudor pile with cottages, stables and swimming pool that has dominated the Surrey stockbroker belt for a century.BritishAs the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of Bradford, nestled snugly in the Wharfedale stockbroker belt, upper class Ilkley felt it did not deserve the reputation as the ‘Rat Capital’ of the district.British‘It was on the verge of the stockbroker belt,’ he said.BritishBut a six-figure salary, huge home in the Surrey stockbroker belt and a first-class reputation as an international bank executive just were not enough for him.British
suicide belt
nouna belt fitted with explosives that are connected to a detonator, as worn by a suicide bomberhe blew himself up with a suicide beltExamplesShe detonated a suicide belt during the seven-hour police assault on the building.North AmericanInvestigators say a suicide belt has been recovered.North AmericanA small unit of militants, armed with Kalashnikov rifles and suicide belts, hit the prison just before sunrise.North AmericanOne of the attackers tried to enter the stadium but was rebuffed by security who discovered the suicide belt he was wearing.North American
suspender belt
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UK /səˈspɛndə bɛlt/noun [British English] a woman's undergarment consisting of a decorative belt and elastic suspenders to which the tops of stockings are fastenedExamplesA lace suspender belt was draped across the handle.BritishShe was by no means a classic beauty but was eager to enhance her allure with her power suits and slightly risqué conversation, which included the revelation that she wore stockings and suspender belt.BritishShe was wearing a suspender belt, do you remember?British
white belt
noun1. a white belt worn by a beginner in judo or karateExamplesAnd one must not forget the half dozen individuals who have trained with us regularly for several years and still wear white belts, thanks to our ‘no grading’ policy.North AmericanThe protégé of Bruce Lee and a black belt in many martial arts, he is always the first to tie on a white belt and try something that he is not good at.North AmericanAt first of course, I had a white belt, and when I attained a higher grade, I took it home and dyed it.North AmericanFor the first three grades students wore a white belt or sash, while for the next three grades he wore brown.North AmericanInside, people trickled onto a long, white canvas mat dressed in white gis [traditional martial arts uniforms] and white belts.North American2. a person wearing a white beltExamplesGroup 1 consists of white belts that have just started Judo training or have been in training for no more than one month.North AmericanThere were evenings when we had only black belts; white belts would come in, but they would usually drop right out.North AmericanAs a white belt [starting over in a new Shorin Ryu style of karate], I am not in the position to do that kind of thing.North AmericanInstructor Michael Snelders said: ‘I remember him as an eight-year-old white belt and it's tremendous to see how he has realised his potential.’British
black belt
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UK /ˌblak ˈbɛlt/noun1. a black belt worn by an expert in judo, karate, and other martial artshe trained in martial arts and has a black belt in taekwondoExamplesThey also trained the police students who all held first or second black belts in judo or kendo.North AmericanSensei Ortino has been active in the martial arts for well over 30 years now, and holds black belts in several different martial arts.North American2. a person qualified to wear a black beltshe is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsuhe took up karate and become a black beltExamplesSome judo black belts joined him as they were fascinated by the art that allowed one to throw everyone easily to the ground.North AmericanMany of them are black belts in other martial arts too.North American
green belt
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UK /ˈɡriːn bɛlt/noun1. [mainly British English] an area of open land around a city, on which building is restrictedDarlington should preserve its green belt2. a green belt marking a level of proficiency in judo, karate, or other martial arts below that of a brown belt▪a person qualified to wear a green belt
Lonsdale belt
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UK /lɒnzdeɪl ˈbɛlt/noun [Boxing] an ornate belt awarded to a professional boxer winning a British title fight. A fighter winning three title fights in one weight division is given a belt to keep
word origin
early 20th century: named after the fifth Earl of Lonsdale, Hugh Cecil Lowther [1857–1944], who presented the first one
seat belt
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UK //nouna belt used to secure someone in the seat of a motor vehicle or aircraftExamplesThey should only wear a two-point lap belt if a three-point seat belt is not available.BritishShe let the operators slip off her high-heels, fasten the seat belt, and pull over the metal strap.BritishStrangely, though, when you omit to fasten your seat belt the car lets out a single soft, sweet, sustained chime.BritishAirbags are not a substitute for a seat belt, so always wear your seat belt even if your car has air bags.North AmericanThe driver is required to blow into the built-in device before fastening the seat belt.South AfricanFasten the cage securely to the vehicle or secure it with a seat belt.British
shelter belt
nouna line of trees or shrubs planted to protect an area, especially a field of crops, from fierce weatherExamplesWhile few urban gardens suffer from the effects of exposure, in the suburbs, country, and coastal areas it pays to plant a shelter belt.IrishIt's a very good idea to start with a shelter belt as this will protect valuable plants in your garden from the ravages of wind and possibly salt-laden air.BritishThe first of my seriously damp patches to be tackled this year is a small area shaded by a shelter belt of ancient hawthorn and alder, and sandwiched between the original homestead and a steep bank that leads up to a meadow.IrishIain advises anyone making a garden to begin by planting a shelter belt.Irish
weight belt
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UK //nouna belt to which weights are attached, designed to help divers stay submergedExamplesA diver, sitting on the gunwhale of a boat, wearing a weight belt but without scuba gear or fins, is flirting with disaster.North AmericanDepending on your personal strength level, you may or may not be able to add weight via a weight belt and plates or a dumbbell when you chin.North AmericanStart out with 10 pounds of additional weight suspended from a weight belt and add more as you get stronger.North AmericanFor many years I had been using a traditional weight belt and lead weights which had always suited me down to the ground.BritishHe failed scuba school on a weight belt swim.North AmericanBut the weight belt is just part of a weighting system and needs to be considered in the context of all gear.North American
wheat belt
nouna region where wheat is the chief agricultural productthe recession had hit in the industrial cities and in the wheat beltExamplesThe Selection Acts of the 1860s made land available for smallholders and the successful development of the wheat belt at the end of the nineteenth century was also heavily assisted by governments.BritishVast areas of bush have been cleared for agriculture, particularly in the wheat belt.AustralianWhether in response to my low mark or symbolic of his general misdirection, he was last heard of driving a tractor at seeding time in the wheat belt some several hundred miles east of Perth.AustralianCombine harvesters, first introduced in the wheat belt of the Cape, became common in the larger highveld maize districts from the late 1960s.British
hit someone below the belt
[Boxing] hit verb1. give one's opponent an illegal low blowExamplesThe bout turned nasty in the fourth, when Johnson - for the second time in the fight - hit Ruiz below the belt with a hard left hook.BritishHe described Dube as a ‘dirty’ boxer who was always hitting him below the belt and throwing punches after the bell.South AfricanThen Machimane hit Nel below the belt and the fight was temporarily stopped to give the champion time to recover.South African2. behave unfairly to someone, especially so as to gain an unfair advantageExamplesIf all of them are forced to pay royalty for every song they sing, they will be hit below the belt.Indian‘Pattni appears to have hit Kenya below the belt at a time when the country was at its weakest,’ wrote the East African Standard.IndianCarly is hurt by the comment and it hits her below the belt.North AmericanTo top it all off, Walter's sudden fierceness hit her below the belt, and her legs suddenly went wobbly with desire.North American
lifebelt
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UK /ˈlʌɪfbɛlt/nouna ring of buoyant or inflatable material used to help a person who has fallen into water to stay afloatExamplesThe men had no radio, lifejackets or lifebelts, and had been unable to abandon ship or attract attention to their plight.BritishAs well as climbing on sand stockpiles, children have also been seen around the quarry's lagoons and have thrown lifebelts into the water.BritishWhile in the water he removed his lifebelt and tied it around one of the nurses and helped her stay afloat until they were rescued by British and French ships.New ZealandWatchkeepers were shocked to find lifebelts knotted and thrown into the water, cables ripped out of scanners and damage to their roof when they arrived at their base yesterday morning.British
Van Allen belt
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UK /van ˌalən ˈbɛlt/ • UK /van ˈalən ˌbɛlt/nouneach of two regions of intense radiation partly surrounding the earth at heights of several thousand kilometresExamplesHowever, it could also be due to a trapped-particle belt around the star - much like the Van Allen belts surrounding the Earth - or even a disk of debris orbiting the star.North AmericanRadiation from the Van Allen belt would kill any astronaut that spent enough time there.BritishThe invisible Van Allen belts that circle Earth in a region known as the magnetosphere trap much of this radiation and serve as an umbrella that protects people in low Earth orbit or below.North AmericanThis so-called ‘safe-zone’ sits in between the radiation-stuffed Van Allen belts.British
Sam Browne
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UK /ˌsam ˈbraʊn/also Sam Browne beltnouna leather belt with a supporting strap that passes over the right shoulder, worn by army and police officersExamplesThe Sam Browne belt worn by the Army officers had been abandoned in 1937 because they could not be worn under a parachute harness.North AmericanIn front were two officers on horseback, with highly polished Sam Browne belts, rifles in leather covers on the sides of their horses.British
word origin
late 19th century: named after Sir Samuel J. Browne [1824–1901], the British military commander who invented it