heel clickingn.
/ˈhiːl klɪkɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈhil ˌklɪkɪŋ/ 1. The action or an instance of clicking the heels of one's boots or shoes quickly together while in a formal standing posture, so as to produce a sharp clicking noise, as a gesture of military discipline, obedience, or respect.Frequently with reference to Prussian or German military practices; cf. to click one's heels at click v.1 4c.
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the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [noun] > click
click1611
clicking1660
click-clack1756
sneck1851
snicking1893
snick1894
heel clicking1915
plock1936
snick-snack1970
1915 N.Y. Times Mag. 31 Oct. 4/4 Though every detail was martial to the eye, the note of militarism was strikingly absent. There was no heel-clicking and clocklike saluting.
1917 J. M. de Beaufort Behind German Veil xxxvi. 274 Soon another officer, with a little more gold braid round his cuffs, came to pay his respects. Then followed a heel-clicking on the part of our first visitor, and a quick-fire of German.
1928 E. Blunden Undertones of War 155 Strutting with redoubled vanity and heel-clicking.
1949 Tel.-Herald (Dubuque, Iowa) 9 Dec. 3/1 The general's door is always open. When I dropped in on him Thursday, expecting to have to do a lot of heel clicking he..waved me to an overstuffed chair.
1997 London Rev. Bks. 29 May 13/2 A German-style toff, given to heel-clicking, hand-kissing and fine Rhine wine.
2. The action or an instance of clicking one's heels together or against the floor, typically as part of a dance or as a gesture of exuberance.
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1923 Ada (Okla.) Evening News 24 Oct. 5/4 They put too much heel clicking and leaping about into the measures, and try to turn a fox trot into a ballet.
1945 Emporia (Kansas) Gaz. 20 Mar. 6/6 No more heel clicking. The next time Challa Ireland wants to look happy she'll just smile.
1970 Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gaz. 14 Sept. 15/2 The Cubs..abandoned their cheering and heel-clicking after blowing a 9½-game lead last year.
2013 L. E. MacDonald Invisible Art Film Music (ed. 2) viii. 412 A richly orchestrated theme for Zorro that has a flamenco style, complete with guitars, hand clapping and heel clicking.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1915