Phrase guide

under one's belt

prep_phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Already done; within one's experience; practiced.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He got off to a shaky start, but with a few months of experience under his belt, he kept up handily with the veteran employees.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Opinions vary between: * Comparing the experience and what was learned and gained from it to a meal now eaten and safely stowed away in the stomach. * The effect of a punch below the belt in boxing or other fist fighting.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 在自己以往的經驗中 /在自己以往的经验中 (zài zìjǐ yǐwǎng de jīngyàn zhōng) — within one's experience
  • Czech: za sebou — within one's experience
  • Finnish: plakkarissa — within one's experience
  • Finnish: plakkariin — within one's experience
  • French: à son actif — within one's experience
  • French: derrière la cravate — within one's experience
  • German: im Gepäck — within one's experience
  • German: (Jahre / Belastungen) auf dem Buckel — within one's experience
  • German: (Zeugnis) in der Tasche — within one's experience
  • German: hinter sich — within one's experience
  • Hebrew: באמתחתו (beamtakhtó) — within one's experience
  • Polish: na koncie — within one's experience
  • Portuguese: nas costas — within one's experience
  • Russian: за плеча́ми (za plečámi) — within one's experience
  • Spanish: en su haber — within one's experience
  • Swedish: i bagaget — within one's experience
  • Ukrainian: за плеча́ми (za plečámy) — within one's experience