A: Did you get a new phone? B: Yeah. Some of the cheaper smartphones made in China are really punching above their weight — they’re a fraction of the price of the iPhone but have some great features. Note: This idiom means “to perform, achieve, or do something at a level that is considered beyond one’s abilities, talents or personal attributes.” This idiom comes from boxing, where different classes of contestants are distinguished by the weight of the competing boxers — heavyweight, middleweight, lightweight, flyweight, etc. Someone from a lighter weight wouldn’t be expected to have much chance if “punching above his weight” against a heavier fighter. The term is often used figuratively in situations where someone finds themselves competing outside their usual class. |