heel

1. 1

   The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.

   • He [the stag] calls to mind his strength and then his speed, / His winged heels and then his armed head.
2. 2

   The part of a shoe's sole which supports the foot's heel.

3. 3

   The rear part of a sock or similar covering for the foot.

4. 4

   The part of the palm of a hand closest to the wrist.

   • He drove the heel of his hand into the man's nose.
5. 5

   A high-heeled shoe.plural-normally

   • She'd been wearing heels, and fell backward off her right heel and twisted or broke her ankle.
   • Opting to improve her odds of making it up the stairs and into the privacy of her room, she kicked off her left heel, and then her right before leaning down to scoop them up.
6. 6

   The back, upper part of the stock.

7. 7

   The thickening of the neck of a stringed instrument where it attaches to the body.

8. 8

   The last or lowest part of anything.

   • the heel of a mast
   • the heel of a vessel
9. 9

   A crust end-piece of a loaf of bread.AustraliaIrelandScotland

   • the heel of the white loaf
   • Boiled mutton was in one, and the heel of a damper in another.
10. 10

    The base of a bun sliced in half lengthwise.US

    • The bottom half, or the bun heel is placed in the carton, and the pickle slices spread evenly over the meat or cheese.

syn. boot · butt · crust · ender · knob-end · outsider

ant. babyface · toe

1. 1

   To follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely.

   • She called to her dog to heel.
2. 2

   To cause to follow at somebody’s heels (transitive).

3. 3

   To add a heel to, or increase the size of the heel of (a shoe or boot).

   • So I laid down my knittin', an' got up, an' stole ovir to the banes, an' nivir believe me iv I didn't see, sittin' right forenint me, in the very middle of thim, a bit of an ould man, not a quarther so big as a new-born child, wid a little
4. 4

   To kick with the heel.

   • she heeled her horse forward
5. 5

   To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, etc.transitive

   • I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt.
6. 6

   To arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting.transitive

7. 7

   To hit (the ball) with the heel of the club.transitive

8. 8

   To make (a fair catch) standing with one foot forward, the heel on the ground and the toe up.transitive

9. 9

   At Yale University, to work as a heeler or student journalist.USintransitive

1. 1

   To incline to one side; to tilt.

   • The faster a ship sails, the better she will answer her helm; if she sail very slow, she will scarce steer at all. If she heel much, she won't answer the helm so well.

1. 1

   The act of inclining or canting from a vertical position; a cant.

   • [T]he boat, from a sudden gust of wind, taking a deep heel, I tumbled overboard and down I went […] .

1. 1

   Alternative form of hele (“cover; conceal”).alt-ofalternativeespecially

   • [I] of my own free will and accord, do hereby, here at and hereon, solemnly swear that I will always heel, conceal and never improperly reveal any of the secrets or mysteries of, or belonging to [the Masons].