/ belt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a long narrow piece of leather, cloth, etc. that you wear around the waist :
to do up / fasten / tighten a belt
a belt buckle
—see also black belt , lifebelt , seat belt , suspender belt
2.
a continuous band of material that moves round and is used to carry things along or to drive machinery
—see also conveyor belt , fan belt
3.
an area with particular characteristics or where a particular group of people live :
the country's corn / industrial belt
We live in the commuter belt .
a belt of rain moving across the country
—see also green belt
4.
( informal ) an act of hitting sth/sb hard :
She gave the ball a terrific belt.
•
IDIOMS
- below the belt
- belt and braces
- have sth under your belt
—more at tighten
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] ( informal ) to hit sb/sth hard :
He belted the ball right out of the park.
I'll belt you if you do that again.
2.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] ( informal , especially BrE ) to move very fast
SYN tear :
A truck came belting up behind us.
3.
[ vn ] to fasten a belt around sth :
The dress was belted at the waist.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- belt sth out
- belt up
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English , of Germanic origin, from Latin balteus girdle.