What does it Mean to ‘Hit Below the Belt’?

To hit below the belt means to attack another person’s weaknesses unfairly; to take advantage of others’ weaknesses unjustly.

This phrase comes from boxing, in which hitting an opponent below the waist is prohibited as per the rules. If a boxer is hitting someone below the belt, he is being unfair; he is disregarding the rules of the game.

Let’s see an example —

“You shouldn’t have insulted her dead mother. That was a below-the-belt remark.”

I hope the example is self-explanatory.

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Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.