ENGLISH
REFERENCE

belt up

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to stop talking or to be quiet, often used when you are annoyed with someone.

phr. v.. to cease speaking immediately; typically used as an imperative in a rude or informal register to silence another person.


SIMPLE

Just belt up and let me finish my work.

CONTEXTUAL

The teacher told the rowdy students to belt up so she could begin the lesson.

COMPLEX

He was about to reveal the secret when his sister told him to belt up before the neighbors overheard their conversation.

Particles
up
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
belt + up
Usage

highly informal and can be perceived as rude or aggressive depending on the relationship.

Teaching tip

note that in British English, this can also mean to fasten a seatbelt, though the 'be quiet' sense is a common idiomatic usage to teach alongside 'shut up'.

Pitfall

He belted up his mouth.He belted up.this phrasal verb is usually intransitive when it means 'be quiet' and does not take an object like 'mouth'.

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