belting

belting — adjective

IPA/ˈbeltɪŋ/
KK[bˈɛltɪŋ]IPA/ˈbeltɪŋ/
  • beltingpositive
  • more beltingcomparative
  • most beltingsuperlative

1. of extremely high quality or extremely enjoyable; used informally in British Eng

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

of extremely high quality or extremely enjoyable; used informally in British English to express strong approval.

Example

The concert last night was absolutely belting — the whole crowd was singing along.

informal British slang for 'excellent'

Rafael bought a belting new sound system that fills the whole house with music.

Synonyms
  • brilliant

    more common in modern British slang, same register

  • fantastic

    more widely understood across varieties of English

  • cracking

    similar informal British slang for 'very good'

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

belting + noun

be + belting

Usage Note

Common in informal British English but rare in American English. Often used by older speakers; younger speakers may prefer 'brilliant' or 'cracking'.

Common Mistakes

The food was belting good.
The food was belting.
'Belting' is an adjective, not an intensifier like 'very'.

2. performed with noticeable strength, energy, or force; describing actions carried

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

performed with noticeable strength, energy, or force; describing actions carried out with great power.

Example

The runner delivered a belting sprint in the final lap and won the race.

collocation: belting sprint / belting shot

Charlotte played a belting drum rhythm that got the whole crowd moving.

Synonyms
  • powerful

    neutral register, wider use

  • forceful

    slightly more formal, less common in speech

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

belting + noun

Usage Note

Nearly always used before a noun (attributive position). Unlike sense 1 (EXCELLENT), this sense focuses on force and energy rather than quality or enjoyment.

belting — noun

belting — verb

IPA/belt/
KK[bˈɛltɪŋ]IPA/belt/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

These five verbs all describe making contact with force, but they differ in intention and formality. 'Hit' is the most neutral and general — you can hit a ball, hit a person, or hit a target. 'Punch' specifies a closed-fist blow, usually aimed at a person. 'Strike' is more formal and often suggests a deliberate, controlled action ('the judge struck the table with a gavel'). 'Belt' is informal and implies heavy, possibly uncontrolled force with an open hand or object ('She belted him across the face'). 'Slap' is lighter, done with an open palm. In sports, 'belt' can mean hitting a ball very hard without the aggressiveness of its personal sense. For everyday use, 'hit' is safest; 'belt'should be reserved for informal situations where the force is notably strong.

hit ↗punch ↗strike ↗belt ↗slap ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • belt up
  • belt shut
  • belt tightly
  • come belting

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinGermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Belting' is the present participle and gerund form of the verb 'belt', which comes from the noun 'belt'. The noun 'belt' entered Old English from Latin 'balteus', meaning 'girdle' or 'sword belt'. Over time, the noun developed technical uses in machinery (driving belts). The verb meanings emerged in the 19th–20th centuries: 'to fasten with a belt' is the original verb sense, while the slang meanings 'to hit hard' and 'to move fast' come from boxing and racing slang, where a heavy blow or full-speed movement was likened to the force or action of a belt.

First known use

1567

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1