down at heeladv.adj.

Brit.

/ˌdaʊn ət ˈhiːl/, U.S.

/ˌdaʊn ət ˈhil/

Forms:

α. 1600s– down at the heels (chiefly U.S. in later usage).

β. 1700s–1900s down at heels.

γ. 1700s– down at heel.

δ. 1800s– down at the heel (U.S.).

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: down adv., at prep., the adj., heel n.¹

Etymology: In α. forms < down adv. + at prep. + the adj. + the plural of heel n.¹ In β. forms < down adv. + at prep. + the plural of heel n.¹ In γ. forms < down adv. + at prep. + heel n.¹ In δ. forms < down adv. + at prep. + the adj. + heel n.¹

A. adv.

1. With reference to footwear: so that the back part of the upper is repeatedly crushed down by the wearer's foot; (also) so that the heel is worn down. Hence with reference to a person: in footwear of this kind.

ΚΠ

1679 G. Miege Dict. Barbarous French sig. K4^v/1 Egaronner un soulier, to tread a shooe down at the heels.

1712 W. Darrell Gentleman Instructed: 3rd Pt. ii. 56 Sneak into a Corner..down at heels and out at elbows.

1738 tr. Masonry farther Dissected 4 Make him put his left Shoe down at Heel, and wear it slip-shod.

1791 Amer. Museum Apr. 228 She draws on her gown, but leaves it half pinned—her handkerchief is thrown awry cross her neck—her shoes down at the heels—she bustles about with her hair over her eyes.

1797 tr. Interesting Tales 111 Only think, that slovenly boy William has run his last new shoes quite down at heel!

1840 R. H. Barham Lay St. Odille in Ingoldsby Legends 1st Ser. 253 Her shoes went down at heel.

1875 Ld. Tennyson Queen Mary i. i. 4 Fray'd i' the knees, and out at elbow..and bursten at the toes, and down at heels.

1892 I. Zangwill Big Bow Myst. 56 His linen was reproachable, his dingy boots were down at heel.

1898 Musical Times Sept. 587/2 Our visitor was literally as well as figuratively down at heel.

1923 F. Swinnerton Young Felix x. 220 He smoked a short pipe, hunched up his shoulders, wore shabby clothes the colour of coke, and his boots were down at heel.

2004 P. W. Peterson Women in Grove 9 She was shorter than Lucinda and, Lucinda noted with scorn, her shoes were down at the heel.

2. figurative. So as to be in a poor or shabby condition; in or into a state of disrepair, neglect, or shabbiness.In later use frequently interpreted as an adjective; cf. sense B.

ΚΠ

1736–63 Cruel Cooper of Radcliff (single sheet) After her Death he could not thrive at all, Day after Day he down at Heels did fall.

1792 H. R. Knapp Hunt Slipper 7 If my credit was not solid, and patch'd by a few ready money customers, it would have gone down at heel long ago.

1835 H. W. Longfellow Outre-mer I. 176 Thus the unhappy Notary ran gradually down at the heel.

1926 S. T. Warner Lolly Willowes ii. 124 Fat Mrs. Garland, who let lodgings in the summer and was always so down at heel and jolly.

1952 A. L. Rowse Diary 19 Oct. (2003) 150 The remains of Victorian drawing-room and dining-room with hideous furniture and pictures, going down at heel; a cheap lodging-house effect in rooms which could be fine.

1963 A. Lubbock Austral. Roundabout 31 The usual two-storey bush pub, rather scruffy and down-at-heel.

1992 N.Y. Times 16 Aug. v. 14/5 The feel was comfortable rather than elegant, even slightly down-at-the-heel.

B. adj. attributive (in form down-at-heel).

1. Of footwear: having the back part of the upper repeatedly crushed down by the wearer's foot; (also) having the heel worn down.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [adjective] > wearing footwear

high-heeled1618

down at heel1841

1841 C. Bury Family Records II. i. 14 The slide of a pair of down-at-heel slippers was heard echoing through the dark gloomy passage.

1883 Chambers's Jrnl. 20 Jan. 41/2 His threadbare velveteen jacket, his baggy trousers, and his down-at-heel boots were as things that had never been.

1919 C. Orr Glorious Thing iv. 37 The old down-at-heel slippers she kept for working.

1971 G. Avery Likely Lad x. 119 He had no collar on, there were down-at-heel slippers on his feet.

2003 C. R. Bawden tr. Injanashi in Mongolian Trad. Lit. 588 He was shuffling along in down-at-heel shoes with scuffed toes.

2. figurative. Characterized by shabbiness, disrepair, neglect, or destitution; having a shabby or run-down appearance.For a similar idea of shabby footwear as emblematic of neglect or destitution, cf. on one's uppers at upper n.¹ 1b.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > poverty > [adjective]

poorc1300

straitc1300

porail1514

needy1574

necessitous1608

down at heel1856

the mind > possession > poverty > [adjective] > poor

havelessOE

unrichOE

waedlec1000

armOE

nakedOE

helplessc1175

wantsomec1175

poora1200

barec1220

needfula1225

misease?c1225

unwealya1300

needyc1325

feeblec1330

poorful1372

mischievousc1390

miseasedc1390

indigentc1400

meanc1400

naughtyc1400

succourless1412

unwealthyc1412

behove1413

misterousa1425

misterfulc1480

miserablec1485

beggarly1545

starved1563

threadbare1577

penurious1590

fortuneless1596

wealthless1605

wantful1607

necessitous1611

inopulent1613

titheless1615

egene1631

starveling1638

necessitated1646

inopious1656

parsimonious1782

unopulent1782

lacking1805

bushed1819

obolary1820

ill-to-do1853

down at heel1856

po'1866

needsome1870

down-at-heeled1884

rocky1921

the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [adjective] > in disrepair

unrepaired1398

left-handeda1425

unmended1574

unrestored1818

invalided1855

down at heel1856

rattle-bag1885

flea-bitten1917

1856 C. Dickens Little Dorrit (1857) i. vii. 55 To prowl about within their narrow limits in the old slip-shod, purposeless, down-at-heel way.

1860 All Year Round 26 May 158 Down-at-heel self-neglect.

1880 World 8 Dec. 2 Shuffling down-at-heel sentences.

1886 Pall Mall Gaz. 7 Dec. 11/2 If ignorance is bad, assuredly down-at-heel dilettantism is worse.

1906 Daily Chron. 22 Dec. 3/2 A down-at-heels party hailed him as a countryman, and asked ‘the lend of the loan of twopence’.

1956 E. C. Hiscock Around World in Wanderer III vi. 68 To hear once more the shrill scream of pigs protesting their passage aboard some down-at-heel schooner.

1964 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 11 July 118/2 I've seen prosperous-looking priests and down-at-heel doctors.

1998 A. Carson Jeff Beck (2001) iii. 28 He knew better than to comment on his down-at-heel appearance and unkempt, overgrown hair.

2009 N. Cave Death Bunny Munro (2010) i. 4 Libby lying in his arms, in the throes of some inexplicable crying jag, in a down-at-heel hotel room in Eastbourne.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	down at heel
释义	down at heeladv.adj. Brit. /ˌdaʊn ət ˈhiːl/, U.S. /ˌdaʊn ət ˈhil/ Forms: α. 1600s– down at the heels (chiefly U.S. in later usage). β. 1700s–1900s down at heels. γ. 1700s– down at heel. δ. 1800s– down at the heel (U.S.). Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: down adv., at prep., the adj., heel n.¹ Etymology: In α. forms < down adv. + at prep. + the adj. + the plural of heel n.¹ In β. forms < down adv. + at prep. + the plural of heel n.¹ In γ. forms < down adv. + at prep. + heel n.¹ In δ. forms < down adv. + at prep. + the adj. + heel n.¹ A. adv. 1. With reference to footwear: so that the back part of the upper is repeatedly crushed down by the wearer's foot; (also) so that the heel is worn down. Hence with reference to a person: in footwear of this kind. ΚΠ 1679 G. Miege Dict. Barbarous French sig. K4^v/1 Egaronner un soulier, to tread a shooe down at the heels. 1712 W. Darrell Gentleman Instructed: 3rd Pt. ii. 56 Sneak into a Corner..down at heels and out at elbows. 1738 tr. Masonry farther Dissected 4 Make him put his left Shoe down at Heel, and wear it slip-shod. 1791 Amer. Museum Apr. 228 She draws on her gown, but leaves it half pinned—her handkerchief is thrown awry cross her neck—her shoes down at the heels—she bustles about with her hair over her eyes. 1797 tr. Interesting Tales 111 Only think, that slovenly boy William has run his last new shoes quite down at heel! 1840 R. H. Barham Lay St. Odille in Ingoldsby Legends 1st Ser. 253 Her shoes went down at heel. 1875 Ld. Tennyson Queen Mary i. i. 4 Fray'd i' the knees, and out at elbow..and bursten at the toes, and down at heels. 1892 I. Zangwill Big Bow Myst. 56 His linen was reproachable, his dingy boots were down at heel. 1898 Musical Times Sept. 587/2 Our visitor was literally as well as figuratively down at heel. 1923 F. Swinnerton Young Felix x. 220 He smoked a short pipe, hunched up his shoulders, wore shabby clothes the colour of coke, and his boots were down at heel. 2004 P. W. Peterson Women in Grove 9 She was shorter than Lucinda and, Lucinda noted with scorn, her shoes were down at the heel. 2. figurative. So as to be in a poor or shabby condition; in or into a state of disrepair, neglect, or shabbiness.In later use frequently interpreted as an adjective; cf. sense B. ΚΠ 1736–63 Cruel Cooper of Radcliff (single sheet) After her Death he could not thrive at all, Day after Day he down at Heels did fall. 1792 H. R. Knapp Hunt Slipper 7 If my credit was not solid, and patch'd by a few ready money customers, it would have gone down at heel long ago. 1835 H. W. Longfellow Outre-mer I. 176 Thus the unhappy Notary ran gradually down at the heel. 1926 S. T. Warner Lolly Willowes ii. 124 Fat Mrs. Garland, who let lodgings in the summer and was always so down at heel and jolly. 1952 A. L. Rowse Diary 19 Oct. (2003) 150 The remains of Victorian drawing-room and dining-room with hideous furniture and pictures, going down at heel; a cheap lodging-house effect in rooms which could be fine. 1963 A. Lubbock Austral. Roundabout 31 The usual two-storey bush pub, rather scruffy and down-at-heel. 1992 N.Y. Times 16 Aug. v. 14/5 The feel was comfortable rather than elegant, even slightly down-at-the-heel. B. adj. attributive (in form down-at-heel). 1. Of footwear: having the back part of the upper repeatedly crushed down by the wearer's foot; (also) having the heel worn down. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [adjective] > wearing footwear high-heeled1618 down at heel1841 1841 C. Bury Family Records II. i. 14 The slide of a pair of down-at-heel slippers was heard echoing through the dark gloomy passage. 1883 Chambers's Jrnl. 20 Jan. 41/2 His threadbare velveteen jacket, his baggy trousers, and his down-at-heel boots were as things that had never been. 1919 C. Orr Glorious Thing iv. 37 The old down-at-heel slippers she kept for working. 1971 G. Avery Likely Lad x. 119 He had no collar on, there were down-at-heel slippers on his feet. 2003 C. R. Bawden tr. Injanashi in Mongolian Trad. Lit. 588 He was shuffling along in down-at-heel shoes with scuffed toes. 2. figurative. Characterized by shabbiness, disrepair, neglect, or destitution; having a shabby or run-down appearance.For a similar idea of shabby footwear as emblematic of neglect or destitution, cf. on one's uppers at upper n.¹ 1b. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > poverty > [adjective] poorc1300 straitc1300 porail1514 needy1574 necessitous1608 down at heel1856 the mind > possession > poverty > [adjective] > poor havelessOE unrichOE waedlec1000 armOE nakedOE helplessc1175 wantsomec1175 poora1200 barec1220 needfula1225 misease?c1225 unwealya1300 needyc1325 feeblec1330 poorful1372 mischievousc1390 miseasedc1390 indigentc1400 meanc1400 naughtyc1400 succourless1412 unwealthyc1412 behove1413 misterousa1425 misterfulc1480 miserablec1485 beggarly1545 starved1563 threadbare1577 penurious1590 fortuneless1596 wealthless1605 wantful1607 necessitous1611 inopulent1613 titheless1615 egene1631 starveling1638 necessitated1646 inopious1656 parsimonious1782 unopulent1782 lacking1805 bushed1819 obolary1820 ill-to-do1853 down at heel1856 po'1866 needsome1870 down-at-heeled1884 rocky1921 the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [adjective] > in disrepair unrepaired1398 left-handeda1425 unmended1574 unrestored1818 invalided1855 down at heel1856 rattle-bag1885 flea-bitten1917 1856 C. Dickens Little Dorrit (1857) i. vii. 55 To prowl about within their narrow limits in the old slip-shod, purposeless, down-at-heel way. 1860 All Year Round 26 May 158 Down-at-heel self-neglect. 1880 World 8 Dec. 2 Shuffling down-at-heel sentences. 1886 Pall Mall Gaz. 7 Dec. 11/2 If ignorance is bad, assuredly down-at-heel dilettantism is worse. 1906 Daily Chron. 22 Dec. 3/2 A down-at-heels party hailed him as a countryman, and asked ‘the lend of the loan of twopence’. 1956 E. C. Hiscock Around World in Wanderer III vi. 68 To hear once more the shrill scream of pigs protesting their passage aboard some down-at-heel schooner. 1964 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 11 July 118/2 I've seen prosperous-looking priests and down-at-heel doctors. 1998 A. Carson Jeff Beck (2001) iii. 28 He knew better than to comment on his down-at-heel appearance and unkempt, overgrown hair. 2009 N. Cave Death Bunny Munro (2010) i. 4 Libby lying in his arms, in the throes of some inexplicable crying jag, in a down-at-heel hotel room in Eastbourne. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adv.adj.1679
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