Word Study
underbelly
CIDE DICTIONARY
underbelly, n.
- The lower ventral part of the abdomen of an animal, especially one that walks on four feet. [PJC]
- The surface of an object closest to the ground, especially of an extended object such as an airplane. [PJC]
- The weak point of an object vulnerable to attack; used especially in the phrase “the soft underbelly”. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
underbelly, n. (pl. -ies) the under surface of an animal, vehicle, etc., esp. as an area vulnerable to attack.
THESAURUS
underbelly
abdomen, abomasum, bay window, bed, bedrock, beerbelly, belly, bottom, bottom side, breadbasket, breech, buttocks, craw, crop, diaphragm, downside, embonpoint, first stomach, fundament, gizzard, gullet, gut, hardpan, honeycomb stomach, kishkes, lower side, lowest layer, lowest level, manyplies, maw, midriff, nether side, nethermost level, omasum, paunch, pot, potbelly, potgut, psalterium, pusgut, rennet bag, reticulum, rock bottom, rumen, second stomach, spare tire, stomach, substratum, swagbelly, third stomach, tum-tum, tummy, underlayer, underneath, underside, ventripotenceFor further exploring for "underbelly" in Webster Dictionary Online