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heel
heel1 / hēl/ • n. 1. the back part of the foot below the ankle. ∎ a corresponding part of the foot in vertebrate animals. ∎ the part of the palm of the hand next to the wrist: he rubbed the heel of his hand against the window. ∎ the part of a shoe or boot supporting the heel: shoes with low heels. ∎ the part of a sock covering the heel. ∎ (heels) high-heeled shoes. 2. a thing resembling a heel in form or position, in particular: ∎ the end of a violin bow at which it is held. ∎ the part of the head of a golf club nearest the shaft. ∎ a crusty end of a loaf of bread, or the rind of a cheese. ∎ a piece of the main stem of a plant left attached to the base of a cutting. 3. inf. an inconsiderate or untrustworthy person: what kind of a heel do you think I am? 4. [as interj.] a command to a dog to walk close behind its owner. • v. [tr.] 1. fit or renew a heel on (a shoe or boot). 2. (of a dog) follow closely behind its owner: these dogs are born with the instinctive urge to heel. 3. [intr.] touch the ground with the heel when dancing. 4. Golf strike (the ball) with the heel of the club. PHRASES: at (or to) heel (of a dog) close to and slightly behind its owner. at the heels of (or at someone's heels) following closely behind: he headed off with Sammy at his heels. bring someone to heel bring someone under control. down at heel (of a shoe) with the heel worn down. ∎ having a poor, shabby appearance. kick up one's heels have a lively, enjoyable time. on the heels of following closely after: September frosts would be on the heels of the dog days of August. set someone back on their heels astonish or discomfit someone. turn on one's heel turn sharply around. under the heel of dominated or controlled by: the Greeks spent several centuries under the heel of the Ottoman Empire.DERIVATIVES: heeled / hēld/ adj. [in comb.] high-heeled shoes. heel·less adj. heel2 • v. [intr.] (of a boat or ship) be tilted temporarily by the pressure of wind or by an uneven distribution of weight on board.Compare with list2 . ∎ [tr.] cause (a boat or ship) to lean over in such a way. • n. an instance of a ship leaning over in such a way. ∎ the degree of incline of a ship's leaning measured from the vertical. |
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"heel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "heel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-heel.html "heel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-heel.html |
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heel
heel.
1. The after end of a ship's keel and the lower end of the sternpost, to which it is connected. 2. The lower end of a mast, boom, or bowsprit in a sailing vessel. The heel of a mast is normally squared off and is lowered through a hole in the deck(s) until it fits in a square step cut in the keelson of the vessel. Alternatively it can be held in a tabernacle on deck so that it can be lowered, or raised, at will. 3. The amount, or angle, to which a vessel is heeled. 4. As a verb, in relation to a ship, it means to lean over to one side, though not permanently, as with a list, or spasmodically, as when a vessel rolls in a sea, but somewhere between the two. Thus a sailing vessel will heel over when the wind catches its sails, unless it has the wind directly astern, and it will retain that heel until it alters course by coming nearer the wind, or bearing away, or the wind changes in strength or direction. A powered vessel will heel outwards, when turning at speed, through its centrifugal force, returning to the upright when the turn is over. |
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"heel." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "heel." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-heel.html "heel." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-heel.html |
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heel
heel bring someone to heel bring someone under control.
down at heel having a poor, shabby appearance. in the heel of the hunt in Irish usage, at the last minute; finally. kick up one's heels have a lively, enjoyable time. take to one's heels run away. under the heel of dominated or controlled by. See also Achilles' heel, dig in one's heels, drag one's heels. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "heel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "heel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-heel.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "heel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-heel.html |
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heel
heel v.
1. (of a boat or ship) be tilted temporarily by the pressure of wind or by an uneven distribution of weight on board. Compare with list. 2. cause (a boat or ship) to lean over in such a way. n. 1. an instance of a ship leaning over in such a way. 2. the degree of incline of a ship's leaning measured from the vertical. |
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"heel." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "heel." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-heel.html "heel." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-heel.html |
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heel
heel2 incline to one side. XVI. prob. evolved from †heeld, †hield through apprehending final d as a pt.-pp. suffix. OE. hieldan = OS. ofheldian, MDu. helden (Du. hellen) :- WGmc. *χalþjan, f. Gmc. *χalþaz (OE. heald, OHG. hald, ON. hallr inclined).
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T. F. HOAD. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-heel1.html T. F. HOAD. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-heel1.html |
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heel
heel1 hinder part of the foot OE. hēla, hǣla, ccrr. to MDu. hiele (Du. hiel), ON. hæll :- Gmc. *χāχil- :- *χaŋχil-, f. *χaŋχ- (whence OE. hōh heel), rel. to Lith. kīnka hough.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-heel.html T. F. HOAD. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-heel.html |
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heel
heel. That end of the bow of a str. instr. at which it is held, as distinguished from the other end, which is called ‘point’.
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MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-heel.html MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "heel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-heel.html |
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heel
heel (heel) n. the part of the foot that extends behind the ankle joint. See calcaneus.
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"heel." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "heel." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-heel.html "heel." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-heel.html |
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heel
heel
•allele, anele, anneal, appeal, Bastille, Beale, Castile, chenille, cochineal, cockatiel, conceal, congeal, creel, deal, eel, Emile, feel, freewheel, genteel, Guayaquil, heal, heel, he'll, keel, Kiel, kneel, leal, Lille, Lucille, manchineel, meal, misdeal, Neil, O'Neill, ordeal, peal, peel, reel, schlemiel, seal, seel, she'll, spiel, squeal, steal, steel, Steele, teal, underseal, veal, weal, we'll, wheel, zeal
•airmobile • Dormobile • snowmobile
•Popemobile • bookmobile
•automobile • piecemeal
•sweetmeal, wheatmeal
•fishmeal • inchmeal • cornmeal
•wholemeal • bonemeal • oatmeal
•kriegspiel • bonspiel • Glockenspiel
•newsreel • imbecile • Jugendstil
•cartwheel • treadwheel • millwheel
•pinwheel • flywheel • gearwheel
•waterwheel
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Cite this article
"heel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "heel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-heel.html "heel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-heel.html |
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