heel

Plural: heels

Noun

• the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
• the back part of the human foot
• someone who is morally reprehensible
• one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread
• the lower end of a ship's mast
• (golf) the part of the clubhead where it joins the shaft
• The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.
• The part of a shoe's sole which supports the foot's heel.
• The rear part of a sock or similar covering for the foot.
• The part of the palm of a hand closest to the wrist.
• A high-heeled shoe.
• The back, upper part of the stock.
• The thickening of the neck of a stringed instrument where it attaches to the body.
• The last or lowest part of anything.
• A crust end-piece of a loaf of bread.
• The base of a bun sliced in half lengthwise.
• A contemptible, unscrupulous, inconsiderate, or thoughtless person.
• A headlining wrestler regarded as a "bad guy," whose ring persona embodies villainous or reprehensible traits and demonstrates characteristics of a braggart and a bully.
• The cards set aside for later use in a patience or solitaire game.
• Anything resembling a human heel in shape; a protuberance; a knob.
• The lower end of a timber in a frame, as a post or rafter.
• The obtuse angle of the lower end of a rafter set sloping.
• A cyma reversa.
• The short side of an angled cut.
• The part of a club head's face nearest the shaft.
• The lower end of the bit (cutting edge) of an axehead, as opposed to the toe (upper end).
• The part of a carding machine's flat nearest the cylinder.
• The junction between the keel and the stempost of a vessel; an angular wooden join connecting the two.
• The act of inclining or canting from a vertical position; a cant.

Verb

Verb Forms: heeled, heeling, heels

• To provide or repair with a heel; to follow closely.
• tilt to one side
  • "The balloon heeled over"
  • "the wind made the vessel heel"
• follow at the heels of a person
• perform with the heels
  • "heel that dance"
• strike with the heel of the club
  • "heel a golf ball"
• put a new heel on
  • "heel shoes"
• To follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely.
• To cause to follow at somebody’s heels (transitive).
• To add a heel to, or increase the size of the heel of (a shoe or boot).
• To kick with the heel.
• To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, etc.
• To arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting.
• To hit (the ball) with the heel of the club.
• To make (a fair catch) standing with one foot forward, the heel on the ground and the toe up.
• At Yale University, to work as a heeler or student journalist.
• To incline to one side; to tilt.
• Alternative form of hele (“cover; conceal”).

Examples

• He drove the heel of his hand into the man's nose.
• She called to her dog to heel.
• the heel of a mast
• the heel of a vessel
• The word HEEL can be heeled with an ’S’ to form HEELS, but it offers few other hooks.

Synonyms

blackguard, bounder, cad, dog, hound, list, reheel, boot, butt, ender, heeling, knob-end, outsider

Antonyms

babyface, toe

Related Words

angle of vanishing stability, limit of positive stability