# belly up to the bar

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/belly-up-to-the-bar
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To commit oneself to a challenge or task; to accept a responsibility; to acknowledge a fact.

## Examples

- It is time to belly up to the bar and finish this project.
- The manager told the team they must belly up to the bar and accept responsibility for the recent budget errors.
- Faced with the inevitable consequences of his poor decisions, he finally decided to belly up to the bar and address the board of directors directly.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.