Question

What does the idiom ‘hit below the belt’ mean?
a)To quarrel all the time
b)To say something that is often too personal, usually irrelevant, and always unfair.
c)To play a subordinate role
d)To lament over something that cannot be changed

Answer 1

Hint: ‘Hit below the belt’ refers to saying something to another person that is considered to be unsuitable, offensive, or to another person. The idiom ‘hit below the belt’ has been derived from boxing, in which it is illegal to attack or hit the opponent below the belt.

Complete answer:

An idiom refers to a phrase or a group of words that is different in meaning to the literal meaning of its words.
We know the meaning and the origin of the idiom. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- His comments hit his mother below the belt. Here, we can understand that X’s comments on his mother were inappropriate, insulting, or too personal.
Let’s examine the given options-
Option a- ‘To quarrel, all the time’ refers to someone who is arguing or debating all the time. It is different in meaning to the given idiom. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘To say something that is often too personal, usually irrelevant, and always unfair’ refers to saying offensive or improper things to someone. It is similar in meaning to the given idiom. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option c- ‘To play a subordinate role’ refers to a person or an employee who ranks lower in rank or status. It is different in meaning to the given idiom. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option d- ‘To lament over something that cannot be changed’ refers to crying or complaining about something that cannot be altered. It is different in meaning to the given idiom. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is Option ‘b’.

Note: Idioms are used to indicate a metaphorical meaning rather than the literal meaning of its words. Try to understand the meaning of a given idiom. Thereafter, select the most suitable answer that portrays the correct meaning.