belt

noun

• 1a strip of leather or other material worn around the waist or across the chest, especially in order to support clothes or carry weapons:a sword belt [as modifier]:a belt buckle
• short for seat belt.
• a belt worn as a sign of rank or achievement:he was awarded the victor’s belt
• a belt of a specified color, marking the attainment of a particular level in judo, karate, or similar sports: [as modifier]:brown-belt level
• a person who has reached a belt of a specified color in a sport:I am a karate black belt
• (the belt) the punishment of being struck with a belt.

• 2a strip of material used in various technical applications, in particular.
• a continuous band of material used in machinery for transferring motion from one wheel to another.
• a conveyor belt.
• a flexible strip carrying machine-gun cartridges.

• 3a strip or encircling band of something having a specified nature or composition that is different from its surroundings:the asteroid belt a belt of trees

• 4a heavy blow:she ran in to administer a good belt with her stick

• 5 informal a gulp or shot of liquor:they could probably use a few belts

verb

• 1fasten with a belt:she paused only to belt a robe about her waist she belted her raincoat firmly
• [no object] be fastened with a belt:the jacket belts at the waist
• attach or secure with a belt:he was securely belted into the passenger seat

• 2beat or strike (someone), especially with a belt, as a punishment.
• hit (something) hard:he belted the ball to the left-field fence

• 3gulp a drink quickly:belting down shots of a potent drink called arrack people who just wanted to belt back drinks with parasols in them

• 4 [no object] move quickly in a specified direction:they belted along the empty road
• (of rain) fall hard:the rain belted down on the tin roof