Definition of 'heel'

Word Frequency

heel

(hiːl )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense, 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

See at sb's heels

See bring sb to heel

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

Video: pronunciation of
heel

heel in British English 1

(hiːl )

noun

the back part of the human foot from the instep to the lower part of the ankle

Compare calcaneus

the corresponding part in other vertebrates

the part of a shoe, stocking, etc, designed to fit the heel

the outer part of a shoe underneath the heel

the part of the palm of a glove nearest the wrist

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

the bottom of a mast

the after end of a ship's keel

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

Word Frequency

heel in British English 2

(hiːl )

verb

(of a vessel) to lean over; list

noun

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

Word Frequency

heel in American English 1

(hil )

noun

the back part of the human foot, under the ankle and behind the instep

heel in American English 2

(hil )

verb intransitive

to lean or tilt to one side, as a ship or boat in a high wind

verb transitive

to cause (a vessel) to heel

noun

the act of heeling

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

Example sentences including
heel

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So have high heels had their day?They will be kicking their heels for the next three months.You don't have to wear heels. 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.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. Hard on the heels of the hose comes a delightfully prolonged blast of warm air. Look for wedges and shoes or boots with rubber composite heels and soles.Wear yours with biker boots or heels and pay for a quality pair.Usually wear is across the back of the heel or between the back and the outside.We donned our wellington boots and carried our high heels.