HEEL


Meaning of HEEL in English

1. n. & v.

--n.

1. the back part of the foot below the ankle.

2 the corresponding part in vertebrate animals.

3 a the part of a sock etc. covering the heel. b the part of a shoe or boot supporting the heel.

4 a thing like a heel in form or position, e.g. the part of the palm next to the wrist, the end of a violin bow at which it is held, or the part of a golf club near where the head joins the shaft.

5 the crust end of a loaf of bread.

6 colloq. a person regarded with contempt or disapproval.

7 (as int.) a command to a dog to walk close to its owner's heel.

--v.

1. tr. fit or renew a heel on (a shoe or boot).

2 intr. touch the ground with the heel as in dancing.

3 intr. (foll. by out) Rugby Football pass the ball with the heel.

4 tr. Golf strike (the ball) with the heel of the club.

Phrases and idioms:

at heel

1. (of a dog) close behind.

2 (of a person etc.) under control. at (or on) the heels of following closely after (a person or event). cool (or kick) one's heels be kept waiting.

down at heel

1. (of a shoe) with the heel worn down.

2 (of a person) shabby. take to one's heels run away.

to heel

1. (of a dog) close behind.

2 (of a person etc.) under control. turn on one's heel turn sharply round. well-heeled colloq. wealthy.

Derivatives:

heelless adj.

Etymology: OE hela, h{aelig}la f. Gmc 2. v. & n.

--v.

1. intr. (of a ship etc.) lean over owing to the pressure of wind or an uneven load (cf. LIST(2)).

2 tr. cause (a ship etc.) to do this.

--n. the act or amount of heeling.

Etymology: prob. f. obs. heeld, hield incline, f. OE hieldan, OS -heldian f. Gmc 3. var. of HELE.

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.