low blow

low blow

1. Literally, a punch or blow struck beneath one's navel or belt line, typically considered unfair or unsportsmanlike. I stood up to confront the man for taking the money, but he landed a low blow and ran off while I was stunned. OK, I want a good, clean fight—no low blows, you hear me?
2. An attack or insult on someone that is considered particularly unscrupulous, unfair, or underhanded. I thought their campaign ad bringing up my divorce was an especially low blow. That's a low blow, Jeff. I simply couldn't afford to help pay for Mom's treatment at the time, and you know that!
See also: blow, low
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

low blow

An unscrupulous attack; an insult. For example, When my roommate moved out without a word of warning, leaving me to pay the entire rent, that was a low blow , or She wanted to win the argument, but bringing up his failed marriage was a low blow. This term alludes to the illegal practice of hitting an opponent in boxing below the belt. [c. 1950]
See also: blow, low
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

low blow

n. an unfair blow. (see also hit (someone) below the belt.) Coming in like that unannounced was a pretty low blow.
See also: blow, low
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • contemplation
  • navel-contemplation
  • navel-gazing
  • navel
  • gaze
  • contemplate
  • contemplate (one's) navel
  • contemplate your navel
  • gaze at (one's) navel
  • on somebody's hands
References in periodicals archive
Taking that low blow was a worse position to be in than being knocked down.
Field did not penalise Crawford for the low blow and told Khan's corner he was entitled to five minutes to recover.
Fields did not A-penalise Crawford for the low blow and told Khan's corner he was A-entitled to five minutes to recover.
It's a bit of a low blow when the trainer you ride for has decided to use outside jockeys but he's the boss and I have to respect his decision and move on.
A forty page introduction warms us up before we step into the ring, only to come out fighting, draw first blood, aim no low blows, swing a king-hit, aim for a knockout blow with a Sunday punch.
The Judah team claim that referee Vic Drakulich was not in a position to see the low blow, which he ruled a knockout, and insist Khan was guilty of other fouls.
When the end came it was shrouded in controversy, with Judah claiming he had been felled by a low blow after Khan drove a right uppercut through the middle that landed just above the waistline of the shorts.
MANILA: Manny Pacquiao s trainer Freddie Roach will demand referees impose automatic disqualification for any deliberate low blow landed during the Filipino s challenge for Miguel Cotto s WBO welterweight title.
The regulator said Royal Mail Letters' finances are weak and deteriorating with customer body Consumer Focus described the price hikes as a ''low blow''.
"I was disqualified in the seventh for a low blow when it was a perfect body shot.
But the Spaniard was sticking around, and was warned for a low blow early in the fifth - he was deducted a point after another low blow in the seventh - and landed a decent right hook in the sixth.
The truly low blow came in the pages of Fact, which claimed to have asked some 12,000 psychiatrists whether Goldwater was "psychologically fit to serve as president of the United States." Among the more than 1,800 replies were long-distance diagnoses pronouncing the challenger a "dangerous lunatic" and a "compensated schizophrenic" similar to Hitler and Stalin.
A "low blow" feature provides an easy and reliable way to release the pendulum from a lower-than-usual height, allowing for testing at lower impact velocities and energy levels.
Also, Trainwreck isn't even from the South, so I doubt you scored a low blow on him with that brilliant scheme.
This is a low blow, but its sardonic intent underscores Kolko's deep dissatisfaction with a majority of the Politburo members who have governed Vietnam since 1975, leaders he portrays as "lackluster ...