IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishtighten one's belt
Meaning: To spend less money than one did previously.
Example: “With the new rent, we'll have to tighten our belts.”
Equivalents in other languages
Russian: Положить зубы на полку (Polozhit' zuby na polku) Literally: To put your teeth on the shelf
Hungarian: Felkopik az álla Literally: His chin wears thin
French: Réduire la voilure Literally: To reduce the sail- French: Se serrer la ceinture Literally: To tighten one's belt
Origin: A person eating less loses weight and must pull the belt tighter; hungry people also tightened belts to dull hunger. The figurative sense of spending less is common from the 19th century.
More English idioms
- to beat the band In an exaggerated manner; with a lot of effort or to the extreme.
- to the hilt To be fully committed to something; to do something completely.
- touch and go Precarious or uncertain.
- track record A history of performance.
- train of thought A course of reasoning; a succession of connected ideas.
- treat someone to something To buy something for another person.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
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- Eres la leche You're the best — absolutely fantastic.
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- És uma joia You're a gem — a precious, lovely person.
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