heel

heel
heel1
—heelless, adj.
/heel/, n.
1. the back part of the human foot, below and behind the ankle.
2. an analogous part in other vertebrates.
3. either hind foot or hoof of some animals, as the horse.
4. the foot as a whole: He was hung by the heels.
5. the part of a stocking, shoe, or the like covering the back part of the wearer's foot.
6. a solid, raised base or support of leather, wood, rubber, etc., attached to the sole of a shoe or boot under the back part of the foot.
7. heels, high-heeled shoes.
8. something resembling the back part of the human foot in position, shape, etc.: a heel of bread.
9. the rear of the palm, adjacent to the wrist.
10. the latter or concluding part of anything: the heel of a session.
11. the lower end of any of various more or less vertical objects, as rafters, spars, or the sternposts of vessels.
12. Naut.
a. the after end of a keel.
b. the inner end of a bowsprit or jib boom.
13. the crook in the head of a golf club.
14. Building Trades. the exterior angle of an angle iron.
15. Railroads. the end of a frog farthest from a switch.
16. Hort. the base of any part, as of a cutting or tuber, that is removed from a plant for use in the propagation of that plant.
17. at one's heels, close behind one: The police are at his heels. Also, at heel.
18. cool one's heels, to be kept waiting, esp. because of deliberate discourtesy: The producer let the actors who were waiting to be auditioned cool their heels in the outer office.
19. down at the heels, having a shabby, slipshod, or slovenly appearance. Also, down at heel, down at the heel, out at heels, out at the heels.
20. his heels, Cribbage. a jack turned up as a starter, counting two points for the dealer.
21. kick up one's heels, to have a vigorously entertaining time; frolic: Grandfather could still kick up his heels now and then.
22. lay by the heels,
a. to arrest and imprison.
b. to prevail over; render ineffectual: Superior forces laid the invaders by the heels.
23. on or upon the heels of, closely following; in quick succession of: On the heels of the hurricane came an outbreak of looting.
24. show a clean pair of heels, to leave one's pursuers or competitors behind; outrun: The thief showed his victim a clean pair of heels. Also, show one's heels to.
25. take to one's heels, to run away; take flight: The thief took to his heels as soon as he saw the police.
26. to heel,
a. close behind: The dog followed the hunter to heel.
b. under control or subjugation: The attackers were brought swiftly to heel.
v.t.
27. to follow at the heels of; chase closely.
28. to furnish with heels, as shoes.
29. to perform (a dance) with the heels.
30. Golf. to strike (the ball) with the heel of the club.
31. to arm (a gamecock) with spurs.
v.i.
32. (of a dog) to follow at one's heels on command.
33. to use the heels, as in dancing.
34. heel in, to cover temporarily (the roots and most of the stem of a plant) with soil prior to permanent planting.
[bef. 850; ME; OE hel(a); c. D hiel, ON haell. See HOCK1]
heel2
/heel/, v.i.
1. to incline to one side; cant; tilt: The ship heeled in going about.
v.t.
2. to cause to lean or cant.
n.
3. a heeling movement; a cant.
[1565-75; var. of earlier heeld, ME helden, OE hieldan to lean, slope; akin to OE heald, ON hallr sloping]
heel3
/heel/, n.
a contemptibly dishonorable or irresponsible person: We all feel like heels for ducking out on you like this.
[1910-15, Amer.; perh. a euphemistic shortening of shit-heel]

* * *

      in anatomy, back part of the human foot, below the ankle and behind the arch, and the corresponding part of the foot in other mammals that walk with their heels touching the ground, such as the raccoon and the bear; it corresponds to the point of the hock of hoofed mammals and those that walk on their toes (e.g., horse, dog, cat). The contained tarsal bone, the calcaneus, appears first among the crocodilian reptiles; it was lost in birds by fusion with other tarsals and metatarsals but retained in mammals.

      In humans the heel consists of the calcaneus (largest of the tarsal bones), cushioned below by a bursal sac, fat pad, and thickened skin. The calcaneus is roughly rectangular, articulating above with the talus bone of the ankle joint and in front with the cuboid, another tarsal bone. Posteriorly, a roughened area, the tuber calcanei, takes much of the weight in standing. On one side of this is a small protuberance, the lateral process, developed only in humans, related to balance in the upright position. The Achilles tendon (tendo calcaneus) attaches to the posterior border of the calcaneus. The calcaneus functions both as a lever for muscles of the calf in walking and as a weight-bearing structure in standing.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Heel — Heel, n. [OE. hele, heele, AS. h[=e]la, perh. for h[=o]hila, fr. AS. h[=o]h heel (cf. {Hough}); but cf. D. hiel, OFries. heila, h[=e]la, Icel. h[ae]ll, Dan. h[ae]l, Sw. h[ a]l, and L. calx. [root]12. Cf. {Inculcate}.] 1. The hinder part of the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • heel — heel1 [hēl] n. [ME hele < OE hela, akin to Du hiel < Gmc * hanhila < * hanha < IE base * kenk , leg joint, heel] 1. the back part of the human foot, under the ankle and behind the instep: see CALCANEUS 2. the corresponding part of the …   English World dictionary

  • Heel — ist der Name folgender Personen: Johann Heel (1685 1749), deutscher Maler, Halbbruder des Bildhauers Peter Heel Johann Wilhelm Heel (1637 1709), deutscher Goldschmied, Erzgießer, Kupferstecher und Maler aus Nürnberg Magnus Heel (1654 1711),… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • heel — Ⅰ. heel [1] ► NOUN 1) the back part of the foot below the ankle. 2) the part of a shoe or boot supporting the heel. 3) the part of the palm of the hand next to the wrist. 4) informal, dated a contemptible person. ► EXCLAMATION ▪ …   English terms dictionary

  • Heel — Heel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Heeled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Heeling}.] 1. To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, and the like. [R.] [1913 Webster] I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To add a heel to; as …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • heel|er — heel|er1 «HEE luhr», noun. 1. a person who puts heels on shoes. 2. U.S. Informal. a follower or hanger on of a political boss: »a ward heeler. 3. a person who follows at the heels. heel|er 2 «HEEL uhr», noun. 1. a lurch to one side. 2. a boat… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Heel — (h[=e]l), v. i. [OE. helden to lean, incline, AS. heldan, hyldan; akin to Icel. halla, Dan. helde, Sw. h[ a]lla to tilt, pour, and perh. to E. hill.] (Naut.) To lean or tip to one side, as a ship; as, the ship heels aport; the boat heeled over… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • heel — heel1 [hi:l] n ↑heel, ↑upper, ↑toe, ↑lace, ↑lining, ↑sole ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(of your foot)¦ 2¦(of a shoe)¦ 3¦(of a sock)¦ 4¦(of your hand)¦ 5 heels 6 at …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • heel — 1 noun (C) 1 OF YOUR FOOT the back part of your foot body, foot 1 2 OF A SHOE the raised part of a shoe that is under the back of your foot 3 high heeled/low heeled etc high heeled or low heeled shoes have high or low heels 4 OF A SOCK the part… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • heel — I. /hil / (say heel) noun 1. (in humans) the back part of the foot, below and behind the ankle. 2. an analogous part in other vertebrates. 3. either hind foot or hoof of some animals, as the horse. 4. the part of a stocking, shoe, or the like,… …  

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