show a clean pair of heels

To run away

take (someone) to the cleaners (slang)

1. To take all, or a great deal of, a person's money, etc
2. To beat or criticize (someone) severely

heel¹ /hēl/

noun

1. The hind part of the foot below the ankle
2. The whole foot (esp of animals)
3. The part of a shoe, etc that covers or supports the heel
4. A spur
5. The hinder part of anything, such as a violin bow
6. A heel-like bend, as on a golf club
7. A knob
8. The top, bottom or end of a loaf or a cheese
9. A despicable person, often someone who lets others down (slang)
10. A wrestler who cultivates an antagonistic relationship with the audience, opp to face

transitive verb

1. To execute or perform with the heel
2. To strike with the heel
3. To supply with a heel
4. To arm with a spur, as a fighting cock
5. To seize by the heels
6. To tie by the heels
7. To follow at the heels of
8. To supply with a weapon, money, etc

intransitive verb

1. (of a dog) to follow well
2. To move one's heels to a dance rhythm
3. To kick the ball backwards out of the scrum with the heel (rugby)

heeled adjective

1. Provided with a heel, shod
2. (as -heeled) in combination, signifying (of shoes) having a heel of a specified type (as in high-heeled), and used figurative in well-heeled comfortably off

heelˈer noun

1. Someone who heels, in any sense
2. A person who follows at heel, such as an unscrupulously faithful follower of a party boss
3. A dog that herds livestock by following and barking at their heels (Aust)

heelˈing noun

1. A heel-piece (Spenser)
2. The act of making or attaching a heel

heelˈball noun

A black waxy composition for blacking the edges of heels and soles of shoes and boots, and for taking brass rubbings, etc

heelˈbar noun

A shop or counter where shoes, etc are repaired

heelˈ-bone noun

The calcaneum, the bone that forms the heel of the foot

heelˈ-piece noun

A piece or cover for the heel

heelˈtap noun

1. A layer of material in a shoe-heel
2. A small quantity of liquor left in the glass after drinking (old)

Achilles' heel see under Achillean

at (or on or upon) the heels of

Following close behind

back on one's heels

1. Driven back by an opponent
2. On the defensive

bring to heel

To cause or persuade to come to heel

clap by the heels same as lay by the heels (see below).

come to heel

1. To come in behind
2. To obey or follow like a dog
3. To submit to authority

cool one's heels

To be kept waiting for some time

dig in one's heels

To behave stubbornly

down at heel

1. Having the heels of one's shoes trodden down
2. Slovenly
3. In poor circumstances

heel and toe

With strict walking pace, as opposed to running (also intransitive verb to use the heel and toe of one foot to operate both the brake and accelerator pedals, eg when driving a racing car)

heel in

To cover the roots of (plants, etc) temporarily with earth to keep them moist (also hele in)

heel of Achilles see under Achillean

heels o'er gowdy (Scot) or heels over head (archaic)

Upside down

kick one's heels

To endure a period of inactivity

kick up one's heels

To gambol or frisk

lay by the heels

1. To fetter
2. To put in confinement

out at heel

1. Having one's heels showing through holes in the socks or stockings
2. Shabby

set by the heels same as lay by the heels (see above).

set (one) back on one's heels

To surprise, astonish one

show a clean pair of heels

To run off

take to one's heels

To flee

tread on someone's heels

To come crowding behind

trip up someone's heels

To trip up or overthrow someone

turn on (or upon) one's heel

To turn sharply round, to turn back or away

two for his heels

(in cribbage) a score for turning up the jack

under the heel

Crushed, ruled over tyrannically

walk to heel

(of a dog) to walk obediently at the heels of the person in charge of it, under control