heel

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈhēl 

1

a

: the back of the human foot below the ankle and behind the arch

b

: the part of the hind limb of other vertebrates that is similar in structure to the human heel

nipping at the cow's heels

2

: an anatomical structure suggestive of the human heel

especially : the part of the palm of the hand nearest the wrist

rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands

—Warren Eyster

3

: one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread

4

a

: the part (as of a shoe) that covers the human heel

b

: a solid attachment of a shoe or boot forming the back of the sole under the heel of the foot

squashed the bug with his boot heel

5

: a rear, low, or bottom part: such as

a

: the after end of a ship's keel or the lower end of a mast

b

: the base of a tuber or cutting of a plant used for propagation of the plant

c

: the base of a ladder

6

a

: a contemptible person : a person who is self-centered or untrustworthy

felt like a heel

a few heels who appear to get away with it

—Frank Case

b

professional wrestling : a wrestler who performs the role of the unsympathetic antagonist or adversary in a staged wrestling match

In the traditional morality plays of professional wrestling, grapplers divided into good guys, or "baby faces," and black-hatted "heels."

—John Leland

compare baby face sense 2

heelless

ˈhēl-ləs 

adjective

heel

2 of 4

verb (1)

heeled; heeling; heels

transitive verb

1

a

: to furnish (a boot, a shoe, etc.) with a solid attachment forming the part of the sole that is under the back of the foot : to attach a heel (see heel entry 1 sense 4b) to

b

: to supply especially with money or information

better heeled but still not flush

I want to be heeled when they book him

—R. P. Warren

2

a

: to exert pressure on, propel, or strike (someone or something) with the back part of the foot

heeled her horse

b

: to urge (a lagging animal) by following closely or by nipping at the heels

dogs heeling cattle

intransitive verb

: to move along near the back of someone's feet : to stay at someone's heels

taught the dog to heel

heel

3 of 4

verb (2)

heeled; heeling; heels

intransitive verb

: to lean to one side : tip

especially, of a boat or ship : to lean temporarily (as from the action of wind or waves)

kept heeling to the left

compare list entry 3

transitive verb

: to cause (a boat) to lean to one side

heeling the sloop well over and skimming her along to windward

—K. M. Dodson

heel

4 of 4

noun (2)

: a tilt (as of a boat) to one side

also : the extent of such a tilt

a heel of six degrees to starboard

Phrases

by the heels

: in a tight grip

had the enemy by the heels

down at heel or down at the heel

: in or into a run-down or shabby condition

His slippers were down at the heel.

on the heels of

: immediately following

came close on the heels of the announcement

to heel

1

: close behind

called the dog to heel

2

: into agreement or line

reluctantly came to heel

help to bring inflation to heel

under heel

: under control or subjection

They kept us under heel.

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• bastard
• beast
• bleeder [British]
• blighter [chiefly British]
• boor
• bounder
• bugger
• buzzard
• cad
• chuff
• churl
• clown
• creep
• cretin
• crud [slang]
• crumb [slang]
• cur
• dirtbag [slang]
• dog
• fink
• hound
• jerk
• joker
• louse
• lout
• pill
• rat
• rat fink
• reptile
• rotter
• schmuck [slang]
• scum
• scumbag [slang]
• scuzzball [slang]
• skunk
• sleaze
• sleazebag [slang]
• sleazeball [slang]
• slime
• slimeball [slang]
• slob
• snake
• so-and-so
• sod [chiefly British]
• stinkard
• stinker
• swine
• toad
• varmint
• vermin

Verb (2)

• angle
• cant
• cock
• incline
• lean
• list
• pitch
• slant
• slope
• tilt
• tip

Examples of heel in a Sentence

Noun (1)

felt like a heel when she found out that she'd blamed the wrong person

Verb (2)

the strong gust heeled the sailboat almost to the point of capsizing, but we managed to right it

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Galileo faces the brutality of the Church at a time when science and reason and decency were often made to heel at the foot of brute force. —Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 17 May 2024

Pegula brought the politicians to heel by threatening to move the team to Austin. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English hēla; akin to Old Norse hæll heel, Old English hōh — more at hock

Verb (2) and Noun (2)

alteration of Middle English heelden, from Old English hieldan; akin to Old High German hald inclined, Lithuanian šalis side, region

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

circa 1575, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

1622, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing heel

• Cuban heel
• down at heel
• down at the heel
• heel-and-toe
• heel fly
• kitten heel
• spiked heel
• spike heel
• spin/turn on one's heel
• stiletto heel
• to heel
• under heel
• under someone's heel
• under the heel of (someone)

Kids Definition

heel

1 of 4 noun

ˈhē(ə)l 

1

a

: the back part of the human foot behind the arch and below the ankle

also : the corresponding part of a lower vertebrate

b

: the part of the palm of the hand nearest the wrist

2

: a part (as of a shoe) that covers or supports the human heel

3

: a lower, back, or end part

especially : one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread

4

: a person who deserves contempt

heelless

ˈhē(ə)l-ləs 

adjective

heel

2 of 4 verb

: to provide with a heel

heeler

ˈhē-lər

noun

heel

3 of 4 verb

: to tilt to one side : tip

heel

4 of 4 noun

: a tilt to one side

Etymology

Noun

Old English hēla "back part of the foot"

Verb

Old English hieldan "to lean to one side"

Medical Definition

heel

noun

ˈhē(ə)l 

1

a

: the back of the human foot below the ankle and behind the arch

b

: the back of the hind limb of other vertebrates homologous with the human heel

2

: an anatomical structure suggestive of the human heel: as

a

: the hind part of a hoof

b

: either of the projections of a coffin bone

c

: the part of the palm of the hand nearest the wrist