We all have bellies, but did you know they’re more than just a place to store last night’s dinner? In the world of language, bellies take center stage in a surprising number of idioms! These expressions use “belly” to convey a range of emotions, fears, and even laughter. So, buckle up (or maybe unbuckle?) and get ready to explore the fascinating world of belly idioms!
List of Belly Idioms
Belly up
Belly laugh
Bellyache
Belly flop
Have a gut feeling
Butterflies in the stomach
Turn one’s stomach
Stomach the truth
Stick to one’s ribs
Stomach churns
Belly up to the bar
Butterflies in the stomach
Stomach-turning
Belly dancer
Belly over belt
Belly fire
Belly full
Belly out
Belly crawl
Belly up to
Butterflies in your stomach
Yellow-bellied
Work up your courage
Live on your belly
Belly Idioms with Meaning and Examples
Belly up
Meaning: To fail or go bankrupt.
Example: After years of struggling, the company finally went belly up.
Belly laugh
Meaning: A loud and hearty laugh.
Example: The comedian’s jokes always make the audience burst into belly laughs.
Bellyache
Meaning: To complain or express dissatisfaction.
Example: Stop bellyaching about the weather and enjoy the day!
Belly flop
Meaning: A clumsy dive into water, landing flat on one’s stomach.
Example: He attempted a dive off the diving board but ended up doing a belly flop.
Have a gut feeling
Meaning: To have a strong intuition about something.
Example: I have a gut feeling that something bad is going to happen.
Butterflies in the stomach
Meaning: Nervousness or anxiety, often felt in the stomach.
Example: Before her presentation, she had butterflies in her stomach.
Turn one’s stomach
Meaning: To cause someone to feel sick or disgusted.
Example: The sight of the gruesome accident turned my stomach.
Stomach the truth
Meaning: To accept or tolerate something unpleasant.
Example: It was hard for him to stomach the truth about his friend’s betrayal.
Stick to one’s ribs
Meaning: Food that is hearty and filling.
Example: A bowl of hot soup always sticks to my ribs on a cold day.
Stomach churns
Meaning: Feeling of discomfort or anxiety.
Example: The thought of giving a speech made his stomach churn.
Belly up to the bar
Meaning: To approach or sit at a bar, usually to order drinks.
Example: After work, we decided to belly up to the bar for a couple of beers.
Butterflies in the stomach
Meaning: Nervousness or anxiety.
Example: Before her big interview, she felt butterflies in her stomach.
Stomach-turning
Meaning: Disgusting or nauseating.
Example: The movie’s graphic scenes were stomach-turning for some viewers.
Belly dancer
Meaning: A dancer who performs using movements of the belly and hips.
Example: The restaurant had a belly dancer entertaining the guests during dinner.
Belly over belt
Meaning: Having a protruding belly.
Example: After the holidays, his belly started to hang over his belt.
Belly fire
Meaning: Intense hunger or burning sensation in the stomach.
Example: After skipping lunch, she felt a belly fire that needed to be extinguished.
Belly full
Meaning: Satisfaction or contentment, especially after eating.
Example: After a delicious meal, I had a belly full and was ready for a nap.
Belly out
Meaning: To protrude or bulge outward.
Example: His shirt barely fit him anymore, with his belly sticking out.
Belly crawl
Meaning: To move forward while lying on one’s stomach.
Example: The soldier performed a belly crawl to avoid detection.
Belly up to
Meaning: To approach or confront something boldly.
Example: She bellyed up to the challenge and tackled it head-on.
Butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Nervousness or anxiety.
Example: Waiting for the exam results, I had butterflies in my stomach.
Yellow-bellied
Meaning: Cowardly or lacking courage.
Example: He called his opponent yellow-bellied for refusing to face him in a fair fight.
Work up your courage
Meaning: To gather or summon the courage to do something.
Example: She had to work up her courage before asking her boss for a raise.
Live on your belly
Meaning: To live a lazy or slothful lifestyle.
Example: If you want to succeed, you can’t live on your belly; you have to work hard.
So next time you’re feeling nervous, courageous, or just hungry, remember – your belly has a whole vocabulary waiting to be explored!
