below the belt

Related to below the belt: hit below the belt

below the belt

Unfairly targeted at one's weakness or vulnerability. The phrase refers to boxing, in which hitting an opponent below the waist is prohibited. I know she really wants the promotion, but telling the boss about my personal problems was below the belt.
See also: below, belt

hit below the belt

To unfairly target another person's weakness or vulnerability. The phrase refers to boxing, in which hitting an opponent below the waist is unacceptable. I know she really wants the promotion, but she hit below the belt when she told the boss about my personal problems.
See also: below, belt, hit
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hit someone below the belt

 
1. Lit. [for a boxer] to strike an opponent below the belt. (An unfair blow.) The champ hit the contender below the belt and the crowd began to boo like fury. Fred was hit below the belt and suffered considerably.
2. Fig. to deal someone an unfair blow. That's not fair! You told them I was the one who ordered the wrong-size carpet. That's hitting me below the belt. Todd hit below the belt when he said it was all her fault because she had become ill during the trip.
See also: below, belt, hit
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

below the belt

If someone says something that is below the belt, they say something cruel and unfair. He made a joke about her divorce which I thought was a bit below the belt. Note: In boxing, it is against the rules to hit an opponent below the level of their belt.
See also: below, belt
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

below the belt

unfair or unfairly; not in keeping with the rules.
In boxing a blow below the belt is a low, and therefore unlawful, blow.
See also: below, belt
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

below the ˈbelt

(of a comment, attack, etc.) unfair and unkind: Her remarks about his age were a bit below the belt.
This expression comes from boxing, and refers to the rule that forbids boxers from hitting each other below the waist.
See also: below, belt
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

below the belt

Not according to the rules; unfairly.
See also: below, belt
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

below the belt

Unfair behavior. The term comes from boxing, where the Marquess of Queensberry rules, formulated in 1865, prohibit striking an opponent there. It began to be used figuratively in the late nineteenth century.
See also: below, belt
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • hit (one) below the belt
  • hit below the belt
  • hit someone below the belt
  • be below the belt
  • below the belt, hit
  • smell blood
  • scent blood
  • get (one) over a barrel
  • get someone over a barrel
  • over a barrel
References in periodicals archive
One punch below the belt comes in at 11-8, while more than one is a 9- 1 chance.
Ghoulies a target in low blow betting
Melbourne, Sept 4 (ANI): Lady Gaga 'cleanly' took issues below the belt as she spoke to silence her critics who claim she is a hermaphrodite.
Lady Gaga says penis rumours have "offended her vagina"!
Crewe boss Dario Gradi said: "I feel like I've been hit below the belt and my players do also.
Football: Rodney Jacks it in
The LMA need to pull them aside and say, 'Look, we've no problem with a bit of sledging but it's getting a bit unsavoury and below the belt - and it shows all bosses in a bad light'.
Jose's feud for thought
I always tell him to just let it slide, but I guess there were times when he couldn't help it because the comments were really below the belt. To be fair to him, this doesn't happen often.
Jessy Mendiola: Reacting to bashers a waste of energy
The singer was about to be cuffed by the officer, who was left fuming after being soaked below the belt. But the 16-year-old star's bodyguard managed to talk him out of it.
Bieber's in hot water; the Razz
Much of the rest of his two-hour show was simply below the belt topically, dealing with sexual proclivities, perversions and practices.
Next stop the arena for rising star Jimmy; Jimmy Carr Empire Theatre
He boasts 20 stoppages in those victories - and reckons the two losses were for technical disqualifications, hitting below the belt and a clash of heads.
JUAN WAY TICKET!
Asked about the personal attacks hurled at De Lima, Binay said: 'Yung iba naman below the belt. Kung tutuusin ano naman ang pakialam natin sa lovelife nya?'
Nancy Binay says attacks against De Lima 'below the belt'
Glasgow's Ryan Wilson is also up before the beak today, charged with grabbing Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson below the belt.
14 WEEK BAN FOR BARNES SHOVER
BEloW THE BElT Brand was under attack yesterday for his sick quip
SHAME oF CoMiCS
"To headbutt someone was below the belt and Alan is lucky not to be in hospital.
Plea to cut Hutton ban; HUGH'S HOTLINE
The way people are being treated is below the belt. ''
Football: Euro Balls: Maier hits out at Jurgen; Apparently they play a bit on the continent, too
But suggestions that McAnaney favoured Meath because his job as a salesman occasionally took him into that county are well below the belt.
Ref justice for Pat!