A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

belong in something • belong to something
belong in something —(also: belong with something ) be in the
correct place or situation: This kind of picture does not belong
in a teenage magazine.
belong to something —be a member of a group, party, etc.:
bed head
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A judge who belongs to a club that excludes women may have
difficulty ruling on cases of sex discrimination.
below someone • beneath someone
below someone —in a lower rank or station than another per-
son: They have the right of censure that allows them to remove
any officer below Colonel from command.
Note: 
The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase
under someone—subordinated to or commanded by a person:
You are under San Diego but any reports you make go direct
to Graz.
beneath someone —said of smth. too rude, coarse, or inap-
propriate for a person to do: That kind of thing is beneath
Fred. I am appalled that he did it.
below the weather • under the weather
below the weather—(Aviation) said of weather conditions at
ground level: The pilot had flown the aircraft down in an at-
tempt to remain below the weather. Cf.: above the weather —
(also: over the weather) above the range of weather conditions at
ground level: As our engines were designed to operate at low
level there was no possibility of flying above the weather.
under the weather —
1
. (coll.) feeling sad or not quite well:
Brandeis, who was under the weather, was happier to be en-
tertained than to entertain. 2. (sl., euph.) alcohol intoxicated;
suffering from a hangover: Well, I see Daddy’s under the
weather again.
bench warmer • chair warmer
bench warmer —(coll.) a substitute in a sports team who sel-
dom plays: He thought about leaving after the 
1
994 season,
his third straight year as a bench-warmer.
chair warmer —(coll.) 
1
. (derog.) an ineffective office holder
or employee: The judge frowned at me. The courtroom chair
warmers craned necks in my direction. 2. (pejor.) a person
who lounges for long periods sitting in a chair: He never takes
me out anywhere. He’s a chair-warmer at home for fair.
See also: keep the seat warm / warm the bench.