heel

Definitions

1. 1.The hinder part of the foot; sometimes, the whole foot; -- in man or quadrupeds. He [the stag] calls to mind his strength and then his speed, His winged heels and then his armed head. Denham.
2. 2.The hinder part of any covering for the foot, as of a shoe, sock, etc.; specif., a solid part projecting downward from the hinder part of the sole of a boot or shoe.
3. 3.The latter or remaining part of anything; the closing or concluding part. "The heel of a hunt." A. Trollope. "The heel of the white loaf." Sir W. Scott.
4. 4.Anything regarded as like a human heel in shape; a protuberance; a knob.
5. 5.The part of a thing corresponding in position to the human heel; the lower part, or part on which a thing rests; especially: (a) (Naut.) The after end of a ship's keel. (b) (Naut.) The lower end of a mast, a boom, the bowsprit, the sternpost, etc. (c) (Mil.) In a small arm, the corner of the but which is upwards in the firing position. (d) (Mil.) The uppermost part of the blade of a sword, next to the hilt. (e) The part of any tool next the tang or handle; as, the heel of a scythe.
6. 6.(Man.) Management by the heel, especially the spurred heel; as, the horse understands the heel well.
7. 7.(Arch.) (a) The lower end of a timber in a frame, as a post or rafter. In the United States, specif., the obtuse angle of the lower end of a rafter set sloping. (b) A cyma reversa; -- so called by workmen. Gwilt. Heel chain (Naut.), a chain passing from the bowsprit cap around the heel of the jib boom. -- Heel plate, the butt plate of a gun. -- Heel of a rafter. (Arch.) See Heel, n., 7. -- Heel ring, a ring for fastening a scythe blade to the snath. -- Neck and heels, the whole body. (Colloq.) -- To be at the heels of, to pursue closely; to follow hard: as, hungry want is at my heels. Otway. -- To be down at the heel, to be slovenly or in a poor plight. -- To be out at the heels, to have on stockings that are worn out; hence, to be shabby, or in a poor plight. Shak. -- To cool the heels. See under Cool. -- To go heels over head, to turn over so as to bring the heels uppermost; hence, to move in a inconsiderate, or rash, manner. -- To have the heels of, to outrun. -- To lay by the heels, to fetter; to shackle; to imprison. Shak. Addison. -- To show the heels, to flee; to run from. -- To take to the heels, to flee; to betake to flight. -- To throw up another's heels, to trip him. Bunyan. -- To tread upon one's heels, to follow closely. Shak.
8. 8.To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, and the like. [R.] I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt. Shak.
9. 9.To add a heel to; as, to heel a shoe.
10. 10.To arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Related questions

• What does "heel" mean?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is heel.

• What is the hinder part of the foot; sometimes, the whole foot; -- in man or quadrupeds. He [the stag] calls to mind his strength and then his speed, His winged heels and then his armed head. Denham called?
• What is the hinder part of any covering for the foot, as of a shoe, sock, etc.; specif., a solid part projecting downward from the hinder part of the sole of a boot or shoe called?
• What is the latter or remaining part of anything; the closing or concluding part. "The heel of a hunt." A. Trollope. "The heel of the white loaf." Sir W. Scott called?
• What is anything regarded as like a human heel in shape; a protuberance; a knob called?
• What is management by the heel, especially the spurred heel; as, the horse understands the heel well called?
• What is to perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, and the like. [R.] I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt. Shak called?
• What is to arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting called?