The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
belly up \bel"ly up`\, v. i.
to approach (a counter) and stand in front of it; -- used
mostly in the phrase
belly up to the bar (i.e. to a counter in a saloon).
[PJC] belly up
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
belly up \bel"ly up`\, belly-up \bel"ly-up`\, a. [from analogy
to the position of a floating dead fish.]
defunct; bankrupt; -- used mostly of commercial
organizations; often used in the phrase
go belly-up, i. e. to go bankrupt.
[PJC]