Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense, plural heels, present participle heeling, past tense, past participle heeled
1. countable noun
Your heel is the back part of your foot, just below your ankle.
2. countable noun
The heel of a shoe is the raised part on the bottom at the back.
He kicked it shut with the heel of his boot.
...the shoes with the high heels.
3. plural noun
Heels are women's shoes that are raised very high at the back.
...two well-dressed ladies in high heels.
...the old adage that you shouldn't wear heels with trousers.
4. countable noun
The heel of a sock or stocking is the part that covers your heel.
5. countable noun
The heel of your hand is the rounded pad at the bottom of your palm.
6. See also Achilles heel
7.
See at sb's heels
8.
See bring sb to heel
9.
See to click your heels
10.
See to cool your heels
11.
See to dig one's heels in
12.
See hard on the heels of/hot on the heels of
13.
See hot on sb's heels
14.
See kick one's heels
15.
See on one's heel
16.
See take to one's heels
17. head over heels
18. to drag your heels
Phrasal verbs:
See heel over
More Synonyms of heel
heel in British English1
(hiːl)
noun
1.
the back part of the human foot from the instep to the lower part of the ankle
Compare calcaneus
2.
the corresponding part in other vertebrates
3.
the part of a shoe, stocking, etc, designed to fit the heel
4.
the outer part of a shoe underneath the heel
5.
the part of the palm of a glove nearest the wrist
6.
the lower, end, or back section of something
the heel of a loaf
7. horticulture
the small part of the parent plant that remains attached to a young shoot cut for propagation and that ensures more successful rooting
8. nautical
a.
the bottom of a mast
b.
the after end of a ship's keel
9.
the back part of a golf club head where it bends to join the shaft
10. rugby
possession of the ball as obtained from a scrum (esp in the phrase get the heel)
11. slang
a contemptible person
12. at one's heels
13. dig one's heels in
14. down at heel
15. kick one's heels
16. rock back on one's heels
17. show a clean pair of heels
18. take to one's heels
19. to heel
verb
20. (transitive)
to repair or replace the heel of (shoes, boots, etc)
21.
to perform (a dance) with the heels
22. (transitive) golf
to strike (the ball) with the heel of the club
23. rugby
to kick (the ball) backwards using the sole and heel of the boot
24.
to follow at the heels of (a person)
25. (transitive)
to arm (a gamecock) with spurs
26. (transitive) New Zealand
(of a cattle dog) to drive (cattle) by biting their heels
Derived forms
heelless (ˈheelless)
adjective
Word origin
Old English hēla; related to Old Norse hǣll, Old Frisian hêl
heel in British English2
(hiːl)
verb
1.
(of a vessel) to lean over; list
noun
2.
inclined position from the vertical
the boat is at ten degrees of heel
Word origin
Old English hieldan; related to Old Norse hallr inclined, Old High German helden to bow
heel in American English1
(hil)
noun
1.
the back part of the human foot, under the ankle and behind the instep
see also calcaneus
2.
the corresponding part of the hind foot of an animal
3.
a.
the part of a stocking, shoe, etc. that covers the heel
b.
the built-up part of a shoe or boot supporting the heel
c. [pl.]
women's low-cut shoes with medium to high heels
4.
crushing oppressive or tyrannical power
under the heel of fascism
5.
anything suggesting the human heel in location, shape, or function, as the end of a loaf of bread, a rind end of cheese, the part of the palm of the hand nearest the wrist, the part of the head of a golfclub nearest the shaft, the lower end of a ship's mast, or a small quantity of liquor left in a bottle
6. US, Informal
a despicable or unscrupulous person; cad
verb transitive
7.
to furnish with a heel
8.
to follow closely at the rear of
9.
to touch, press, or drive forward with or as with the heel
10.
to equip (a gamecock) with metal spurs
11. US, Informal
a.
to provide (a person) with money
usually in the passive
b.
to equip or arm (oneself)
12. Golf
to hit (a ball) with the heel of the club
verb intransitive
13.
to follow along at the heels of someone
to teach a dog to heel
14.
to move the heels rhythmically in dancing
Idioms:
at heel
cool one's heels
dig in one's heels
down at the heel
heel in
kick up one's heels
on the heels of
out at the heel (or heels)
show one's heels
take to one's heels
to heel
turn on one's heel
Derived forms
heelless (ˈheelless)
adjective see phrase under dig1
Word origin
ME hele < OE hela, akin to Du hiel < Gmc *hanhila < *hanha < IE base *kenk-, leg joint, heel
heel in American English2
(hil)
verb intransitive
1.
to lean or tilt to one side, as a ship or boat in a high wind
verb transitive
2.
to cause (a vessel) to heel
noun
3.
the act of heeling
4.
the extent of this
Word origin
with assimilated -d < ME helden < OE hieldan (*healdjan), to incline, slope < base of heald, sloping, bent < IE base *el-, to incline > (via *lei-) L -clinare, incline
More idioms containing
heel
bring someone to heel
Examples of 'heel' in a sentence
heel
So have high heels had their day?
The Sun (2016)
They will be kicking their heels for the next three months.
The Sun (2016)
You don't have to wear heels.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Keep your chest up and get as low as you can with all the weight in your heels to get the most from this one.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Like an ankle strap, boots can make heels comfortable simply because you don't have to cling on to them with your toes when you walk.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Hard on the heels of the hose comes a delightfully prolonged blast of warm air.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Look for wedges and shoes or boots with rubber composite heels and soles.
The Sun (2008)
Wear yours with biker boots or heels and pay for a quality pair.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Usually wear is across the back of the heel or between the back and the outside.
The Sun (2010)
We donned our wellington boots and carried our high heels.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The op on his right heel is part of his recovery programme.
The Sun (2012)
His compass was in the heel of his shoe and naturally he got lost.
The Sun (2007)
Skinny trousers look more modern with kitten heels than platform pumps.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Whose foot will this heel belong to?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There were dozens of jockeys kicking their heels.
The Sun (2013)
That should last you until you can get to the heel bar.
The Sun (2010)
She loves shoes and boots with heels.
The Sun (2012)
Broad suffered a recurrence of his heel injury bowling in the nets and went to hospital for a scan.
The Sun (2012)
Which you know... may have involved a heel or two.
The Sun (2012)
In other languages
heel
British English: heel /hiːl/ NOUN
Your heel is the back part of your foot, just below your ankle.
He hurt his heel.
American English: heel
Arabic: كَعْب
Brazilian Portuguese: calcanhar
Chinese: 脚后跟
Croatian: peta
Czech: pata
Danish: hæl
Dutch: hiel
European Spanish: talón Anatomía
Finnish: kantapää
French: talon
German: Ferse
Greek: φτέρνα
Italian: tacco
Japanese: かかと
Korean: 뒤꿈치
Norwegian: hæl
Polish: pięta
European Portuguese: calcanhar
Romanian: călcâi
Russian: пятка
Latin American Spanish: talón
Swedish: häl
Thai: ส้นเท้า
Turkish: topuk
Ukrainian: п'ята
Vietnamese: gót chân
All related terms of 'heel'
at heel
close to someone's heels ; just behind
heel in
to insert ( cuttings , shoots, etc) into the soil before planting to keep them moist
to heel
disciplined or under control , as a dog walking by a person's heel
back-heel
to strike the ball with one's heel and make it go behind one
heel bone
the largest tarsal bone, forming the heel in humans
heel over
When something heels over , it leans over very far as if it is about to fall over.
Cuban heel
a moderately high heel for a shoe or boot
French heel
a fairly high and narrow-waisted heel on women's shoes
kitten heel
a low stiletto heel on a woman's shoe
spike heel
a very high heel on a woman's shoe , tapering to a very narrow tip
wedge heel
a raised shoe heel with the heel and sole forming a solid block
Achilles heel
Someone's Achilles heel is the weakest point in their character or nature , where it is easiest for other people to attack or criticize them.
stacked heel
a heel on a shoe composed of several layers, as of leather , of alternating shades
stiletto heel
a small dagger with a slender tapered blade
down-at-heel
Something that is down-at-heel is in bad condition because it has been used too much or has not been looked after properly. If you say that someone is down-at-heel , you mean that they are wearing old , worn clothes because they have little money .
heel-and-toe
of or denoting a style of walking in which the heel of the front foot touches the ground before the toes of the rear one leave it
toe and heel
a technique used by racing drivers while changing gear on sharp bends , in which the brake is operated by the toe (or heel ) of the right foot while the heel (or toe) simultaneously operates the accelerator
on one's heel
If you turn on your heel or spin on your heel , you suddenly turn round, especially because you are angry or surprised .
bring sb to heel
If you bring someone to heel , you force them to obey you.
down at the heel
with the heels of one's shoes in need of repair
spike
A spike is a long piece of metal with a sharp point.
turn on one's heel
to turn around abruptly
grease
Grease is a thick, oily substance which is put on the moving parts of cars and other machines in order to make them work smoothly.
stiletto
Stilettos are women's shoes that have high, very narrow heels.
out at the heel (or heels)
having holes in the heels of one's shoe(s) or sock (s)
while-you-wait heel repairs
repairs to damaged heels of footwear , carried out while the customer waits
calcanea
the largest tarsal bone, forming the heel in humans
calcanei
the largest tarsal bone, forming the heel in humans
calcaneus
the largest tarsal bone , forming the heel in humans
race walking
the sport of rapid , continuous-foot-contact walking , requiring that the trailing foot not be lifted until the other meets the ground and the knee locks momentarily , and executed in an upright , rhythmic stride with the arms usually held bent and high and pumped close to the body
Chinese translation of 'heel'
heel
(hiːl)
n(c)
[of foot]脚(腳)后(後)跟 (jiǎohòugēn) (个(個), gè)
[of shoe]鞋跟 (xiégēn) (个(個), gè)
to bring sb to heel使某人屈服 (shǐ mǒurén qūfú)
to take to one's heels (liter) 逃跑 (táopǎo)
to turn on one's heel急转(轉)身 (jí zhuǎnshēn)
Derived Forms
heelsn pl (also high heels) 高跟鞋 (gāogēnxié)
1 (noun)
the heel of a loaf of bread
Synonyms
end
an ashtray overflowing with cigarette ends
stump
The man produced a stump of candle from his pocket.