Below the belt

     An action or remark described as below the belt means that it is considered

     unfair or cruel. 

     Politicians sometimes use personal information to hit their rivals below the belt.

Tighten your belt

     If you need to tighten your belt, you must spend your money carefully.

    Another bill?  I'll have to tighten my belt this month!

Under one's belt

     If you have something under your belt, you have acquired experience or have

     satisfactorily achieved something.

     You've got to have some work experience under your belt before you can hope to get 

     a permanent job.

Die with one's boots on

     A person who dies with their boots on dies while still leading an active life.

     He says he'll never retire.   He'd rather die with his boots on!

Get too big for your boots (or britches)

     To say that a person is getting too big for their boots means that you think

     they are behaving as if they were more important that they really are.

    Tom's really getting too big for his boots since he got a promotion - 

      he hardly says hello any more!

Hang up one's boots

     When a sports player hangs up their boots, they stop playing and retire.

     This expression is often used to refer to retirement in general.

     Dad says he's going to hang up his boots at the end of the year.

Lick someone's boots

     To say that one person is licking another person's boots means that they are 

     trying to please that person, often in order to obtain something.

     Tony is licking the manager's boots in the hope of obtaining a pay rise.

Tough as old boots

     If something, especially meat, is (as) tough as old boots, it is hard to cut and 

     difficult to chew. 

     (Can also refer to a person who is strong physically or in character.)

     We were served a steak as tough as old boots.

Cap in hand

     If you do something cap in hand, you ask for something in a very respectful 

     manner. 

     They went to the teacher, cap in hand, and asked for more time to complete 

     their project.

Put on your thinking cap

     If you tell someone to put on their thinking cap, you ask them to find an idea 

     or solve a problem by thinking about it.

     Now here's this week's quiz - it's time to put your thinking caps on!

A feather in one's cap

     To describe someone's achievement as a feather in their cap means that 

     it is something they can be proud of. 

     The overwhelming victory of the team was a feather in the cap for the new

     manager.

Pop one's clogs

     This is a euphemistic way of saying that a person is dead.

     Nobody lives in that house since old Sam popped his clogs.

Hot under the collar

     If you get hot under the collar, you feel annoyed, indignant or embarrassed. 

     If anyone criticizes his proposals, Joe immediately gets hot under the collar.