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heel

- 17 dictionary results
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heel

1  [heel]
Use heel in a Sentence
–noun
1. the back part of the human foot, below and behind the ankle.
2. an analogous part in other vertebrates.
3. either hind foot or hoof of some animals, as the horse.
4. the foot as a whole: He was hung by the heels.
5. the part of a stocking, shoe, or the like covering the back part of the wearer's foot.
6. a solid, raised base or support of leather, wood, rubber, etc., attached to the sole of a shoe or boot under the back part of the foot.
7. heels, high-heeled shoes.
8. something resembling the back part of the human foot in position, shape, etc.: a heel of bread.
9. the rear of the palm, adjacent to the wrist.
10. the latter or concluding part of anything: the heel of a session.
11. the lower end of any of various more or less vertical objects, as rafters, spars, or the sternposts of vessels.
12. Nautical.
a. the after end of a keel.
b. the inner end of a bowsprit or jib boom.
13. the crook in the head of a golf club.
14. Building Trades. the exterior angle of an angle iron.
15. Railroads. the end of a frog farthest from a switch.
16. Horticulture. the base of any part, as of a cutting or tuber, that is removed from a plant for use in the propagation of that plant.
–verb (used with object)
17. to follow at the heels of; chase closely.
18. to furnish with heels, as shoes.
19. to perform (a dance) with the heels.
20. Golf. to strike (the ball) with the heel of the club.
21. to arm (a gamecock) with spurs.
–verb (used without object)
22. (of a dog) to follow at one's heels on command.
23. to use the heels, as in dancing.
—Verb phrase
24. heel in, to cover temporarily (the roots and most of the stem of a plant) with soil prior to permanent planting.
—Idioms
25. at one's heels, close behind one: The police are at his heels. Also, at heel.
26. cool one's heels, to be kept waiting, esp. because of deliberate discourtesy: The producer let the actors who were waiting to be auditioned cool their heels in the outer office.
27. down at the heels, having a shabby, slipshod, or slovenly appearance. Also, down at heel, down at the heel, out at heels, out at the heels.
28. his heels, Cribbage. a jack turned up as a starter, counting two points for the dealer.
29. kick up one's heels, to have a vigorously entertaining time; frolic: Grandfather could still kick up his heels now and then.
30. lay by the heels,
a. to arrest and imprison.
b. to prevail over; render ineffectual: Superior forces laid the invaders by the heels.
31. on or upon the heels of, closely following; in quick succession of: On the heels of the hurricane came an outbreak of looting.
32. show a clean pair of heels, to leave one's pursuers or competitors behind; outrun: The thief showed his victim a clean pair of heels. Also, show one's heels to.
33. take to one's heels, to run away; take flight: The thief took to his heels as soon as he saw the police.
34. to heel,
a. close behind: The dog followed the hunter to heel.
b. under control or subjugation: The attackers were brought swiftly to heel.
Origin:
bef. 850; ME; OE hēl(a); c. D hiel, ON hǣll. See hock 1

Related forms:
heelless, adjective
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heel

2  [heel]
–verb (used without object)
1. to incline to one side; cant; tilt: The ship heeled in going about.
–verb (used with object)
2. to cause to lean or cant.
–noun
3. a heeling movement; a cant.
Origin:
1565–75; var. of earlier heeld, ME helden, OE hieldan to lean, slope; akin to OE heald, ON hallr sloping

heel

3  [heel]
–noun
a contemptibly dishonorable or irresponsible person: We all feel like heels for ducking out on you like this.
Origin:
1910–15, Americanism; perh. a euphemistic shortening of shit-heel
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To heel
heel 1   (hēl)   
n.  
    1. The rounded posterior portion of the human foot under and behind the ankle.
    2. The corresponding part of the hind foot of other vertebrates.
    3. A similar anatomical part, such as the fleshy rounded base of the human palm or the hind toe of a bird.
    4. The part, as of a sock, shoe, or stocking, that covers the rounded posterior portion of the human foot.
    5. The built-up portion of a shoe or boot, supporting the heel.
    6. The part of the head of a golf club where it joins the shaft.
    7. The end of a violin bow where the handle is located.
    8. The lower end of a mast.
    9. The after end of a ship's keel.
    1. The part, as of a sock, shoe, or stocking, that covers the rounded posterior portion of the human foot.
    2. The built-up portion of a shoe or boot, supporting the heel.
    3. The part of the head of a golf club where it joins the shaft.
    4. The end of a violin bow where the handle is located.
    5. The lower end of a mast.
    6. The after end of a ship's keel.
  3. One of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread.
  4. The lower or rearward part, as:
    1. The part of the head of a golf club where it joins the shaft.
    2. The end of a violin bow where the handle is located.
    3. The lower end of a mast.
    4. The after end of a ship's keel.
  5. Nautical
    1. The lower end of a mast.
    2. The after end of a ship's keel.
  6. Botany The basal end of a plant cutting or tuber used in propagation.
  7. Oppression; tyranny: under the heel of Stalinism; the heel of an autocrat.
  8. Informal A dishonorable man; a cad.
v.   heeled, heel·ing, heels

v.   tr.
    1. To furnish with a heel or heels.
    2. To repair or replace the heels, as for shoes.
  2. Slang To furnish, especially with money.
  3. To arm (a gamecock) with gaffs.
  4. To press or strike with the heel: heel a horse.
v.   intr.
To follow at one's heels: The dog won't heel.

[Middle English, from Old English hēla.]
heel 2   (hēl)   
intr. & tr.v.   heeled, heel·ing, heels
To tilt or cause to tilt to one side.
n.  A tilt, as of a boat, to one side.

[Alteration of Middle English helden, from Old English hieldan.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Heel

Heel\ (h[=e]l), v. i. [OE. helden to lean, incline, AS. heldan, hyldan; akin to Icel. halla, Dan. helde, Sw. h["a]lla to tilt, pour, and perh. to E. hill.] (Naut.) To lean or tip to one side, as a ship; as, the ship heels aport; the boat heeled over when the squall struck it.

Heeling error (Naut.), a deviation of the compass caused by the heeling of an iron vessel to one side or the other.

Heel

Heel\, n. [OE. hele, heele, AS. h[=e]la, perh. for h[=o]hila, fr. AS. h[=o]h heel (cf. Hough); but cf. D. hiel, OFries. heila, h[=e]la, Icel. h[ae]ll, Dan. h[ae]l, Sw. h["a]l, and L. calx. [root]12. Cf. Inculcate.]

1. The hinder part of the foot; sometimes, the whole foot; -- in man or quadrupeds.

He [the stag] calls to mind his strength and then his speed, His winged heels and then his armed head. --Denham.

2. The hinder part of any covering for the foot, as of a shoe, sock, etc.; specif., a solid part projecting downward from the hinder part of the sole of a boot or shoe.

3. The latter or remaining part of anything; the closing or concluding part. "The heel of a hunt." --A. Trollope. "The heel of the white loaf." --Sir W. Scott.

4. Anything regarded as like a human heel in shape; a protuberance; a knob.

5. The part of a thing corresponding in position to the human heel; the lower part, or part on which a thing rests; especially: (a) (Naut.) The after end of a ship's keel. (b) (Naut.) The lower end of a mast, a boom, the bowsprit, the sternpost, etc. (c) (Mil.) In a small arm, the corner of the but which is upwards in the firing position. (d) (Mil.) The uppermost part of the blade of a sword, next to the hilt. (e) The part of any tool next the tang or handle; as, the heel of a scythe.

6. (Man.) Management by the heel, especially the spurred heel; as, the horse understands the heel well.

7. (Arch.) (a) The lower end of a timber in a frame, as a post or rafter. In the United States, specif., the obtuse angle of the lower end of a rafter set sloping. (b) A cyma reversa; -- so called by workmen. --Gwilt.

Heel chain (Naut.), a chain passing from the bowsprit cap around the heel of the jib boom.

Heel plate, the butt plate of a gun.

Heel of a rafter. (Arch.) See Heel, n., 7.

Heel ring, a ring for fastening a scythe blade to the snath.

Neck and heels, the whole body. (Colloq.)

To be at the heels of, to pursue closely; to follow hard; as, hungry want is at my heels. --Otway.

To be down at the heel, to be slovenly or in a poor plight.

To be out at the heels, to have on stockings that are worn out; hence, to be shabby, or in a poor plight. --Shak.

To cool the heels. See under Cool.

To go heels over head, to turn over so as to bring the heels uppermost; hence, to move in a inconsiderate, or rash, manner.

To have the heels of, to outrun.

To lay by the heels, to fetter; to shackle; to imprison. --Shak. --Addison.

To show the heels, to flee; to run from.

To take to the heels, to flee; to betake to flight.

To throw up another's heels, to trip him. --Bunyan.

To tread upon one's heels, to follow closely. --Shak.

Heel

Heel\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Heeled; p. pr. & vb. n. Heeling.]

1. To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, and the like. [R.]

I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt. --Shak.

2. To add a heel to; as, to heel a shoe.

3. To arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting.

Heel

Heel\, n. 1. (Golf) The part of the face of the club head nearest the shaft.

2. In a carding machine, the part of a flat nearest the cylinder.

Heel

Heel\, v. t. 1. (Golf) To hit (the ball) with the heel of the club.

2. (Football) To make (a fair catch) standing with one foot advanced, the heel on the ground and the toe up.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : heel
Spanish: talón,
German: die Ferse,
Japanese: かかと
More Translations »

heel  (n.)
O.E. hela, from P.Gmc. *khangkh- (cf. O.N. hæll, O.Fris. hel, Du. hiel), related to O.E. hoh "hock." Heeled "provided with money" is 1880 in Amer.Eng., from earlier sense "furnished with a gun, armed" (1866), from still earlier sense "furnish (a gamecock) with a heel-like spur" (1562). To heel (of a dog) is from 1810. Heeler "unscrupulous political lackey" is U.S. slang, 1877, from the notion of one who follows at the heels of a political boss, no doubt coined with the image of a dog in mind. Achilles' heel "only vulnerable spot" is from 1810. Heel-tap was originally (1688) one of the bits of leather that are stacked up to make a shoe heel; meaning "bit of liquor left in a glass or bottle" first recorded 1688; the exact connection is uncertain. Down at heels (1732) refers to heels of boots or shoes worn down and the owner too poor to replace them.

heel  (v.)
of a ship, O.E. hyldan "incline," from P.Gmc. *khelthijanan (cf. M.Du. helden "to lean," O.N. hallr "inclined," Ger. halde "slope, declivity"). Re-spelled 16c. from M.E. hield, probably by misinterpretation of -d as a pt. suffix.

heel  (n.)
"contemptible person," 1914 in U.S. underworld slang, originally "incompetent or worthless criminal," probably from a sense of "person in the lowest position."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: heel
Pronunciation: 'hE(&)l
Function: noun
1 a : the back of the human foot below the ankle and behind the arch b : the back of the hind limb of other vertebrates homologous with the human heel
2 : an anatomical structure suggestive of the human heel: as a : the hind part of ahoof b : either of the projections of a coffin bone c : the part of the palm of the hand nearest the wrist
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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heel (hēl)
n.

  1. The rounded posterior portion of the foot under and behind the ankle.
  2. A similar anatomical part, such as the rounded base of the palm.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source

heel

see Achilles' heel; at someone's heels; bring to heel; cool one's heels; dig in (one's heels); drag one's feet (heels); head over heels; kick up one's heels; on the heels of; out at the elbows (heels); set back on one's heels; show one's heels; take to one's heels; to heel; turn on one's heel.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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heel

in anatomy, back part of the human foot, below the ankle and behind the arch, and the corresponding part of the foot in other mammals that walk with their heels touching the ground, such as the raccoon and the bear; it corresponds to the point of the hock of hoofed mammals and those that walk on their toes (e.g., horse, dog, cat). The contained tarsal bone, the calcaneus, appears first among the crocodilian reptiles; it was lost in birds by fusion with other tarsals and metatarsals but retained in mammals.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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