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heel1

Syllabification: (heel)
Pronunciation: /hēl/

Translate heel | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of heel

noun

  • 1the back part of the foot below the ankle.
  • a corresponding part of the foot in vertebrate animals.
  • the part of the palm of the hand next to the wrist:he rubbed the heel of his hand against the window
  • the part of a shoe or boot supporting the heel:shoes with low heels
  • the part of a sock covering the heel.
  • (heels) high-heeled shoes.
  • 2a thing resembling a heel in form or position, in particular.
  • the end of a violin bow at which it is held.
  • the part of the head of a golf club nearest the shaft.
  • a crusty end of a loaf of bread, or the rind of a cheese.
  • a piece of the main stem of a plant left attached to the base of a cutting.
  • 3 informal an inconsiderate or untrustworthy person:what kind of a heel do you think I am?
  • 4 [as exclamation] a command to a dog to walk close behind its owner.

verb

[with object]
  • 1fit or renew a heel on (a shoe or boot).
  • 2(of a dog) follow closely behind its owner:these dogs are born with the instinctive urge to heel
  • 3 [no object] touch the ground with the heel when dancing.
  • 4 Golf strike (the ball) with the heel of the club.

Phrases

at (or to) heel

(of a dog) close to and slightly behind its owner.

at the heels of

(or at someone's heels)
following closely behind:he headed off with Sammy at his heels

bring someone to heel

bring someone under control.

down at heel

(of a shoe) with the heel worn down.
having a poor, shabby appearance.

kick up one's heels

have a lively, enjoyable time.

on the heels of

following closely after:September frosts would be on the heels of the dog days of August

set someone back on their heels

astonish or discomfit someone.

turn on one's heel

turn sharply around.

under the heel of

dominated or controlled by:the Greeks spent several centuries under the heel of the Ottoman Empire

Derivatives

heeled

Pronunciation: /hēld/

adjective
[in combination]:high-heeled shoes

heelless

adjective

Origin:

Old English hēla, hǣla, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hiel

heel in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of heel in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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