1heel 
/ˈhi:l/ noun
plural heels /ˈhi:l/ noun 1 [count] : the back part of your foot that is below the ankle — see picture at foot 2 a [count] : the part of a shoe or sock that covers the heel of your foot
b [count] : the part of the bottom of a shoe or boot that is under the heel of your foot
▪ shoes with low/high/cushioned heels — see picture at shoe; see also high heels, spike heels, stiletto heel
c heels [plural] informal : shoes with high heels
▪ She does not like wearing heels. 3 [count] : the part of the inside of your hand that is closest to your wrist
▪ She scraped the heel of her hand. 4 [count] : the end of a loaf of bread 5 [count] old-fashioned : a bad or selfish man
▪ I felt like a heel when I couldn't stop to help.
b [count] : the part of the bottom of a shoe or boot that is under the heel of your foot
▪ shoes with low/high/cushioned heels — see picture at shoe; see also high heels, spike heels, stiletto heel
c heels [plural] informal : shoes with high heels
▪ She does not like wearing heels.
▪ She scraped the heel of her hand.
▪ I felt like a heel when I couldn't stop to help.
at someone's heels
: following someone very closely
▪ The dog was (nipping) at my heels. ▪ He once had a big lead in the campaign, but now the other candidates are nipping at his heels.
▪ The dog was (nipping) at my heels. ▪ He once had a big lead in the campaign, but now the other candidates are nipping at his heels.
cool your heels — see 2cool
dig in your heels — see 1dig
drag your heels — see 1drag
head over heels — see 1head
kick up your heels — see 1kick
on someone's or something's heels 1 ◊If you are (close/hard/hot) on someone's or something's heels, you are chasing or following that person or thing very closely.
▪ The police were hot on his heels. 2 ◊If something comes or follows close/hard/hot on something's heels or close/hard/hot on the heels of something, it happens very soon afterward.
▪ Her decision drew much criticism, and so did the explanation that followed hard on its heels. ▪ Her second movie followed close on the heels of her successful film debut. ▪ His resignation comes hard on the heels of the announcement that the company is going bankrupt.
▪ The police were hot on his heels.
▪ Her decision drew much criticism, and so did the explanation that followed hard on its heels. ▪ Her second movie followed close on the heels of her successful film debut. ▪ His resignation comes hard on the heels of the announcement that the company is going bankrupt.
spin/turn on your heel
: to turn away from someone in a very quick or sudden way
▪ He told us he had nothing more to say, then he turned on his heel and walked away.
▪ He told us he had nothing more to say, then he turned on his heel and walked away.
take to your heels
: to begin to run away
▪ They took to their heels when they saw the policeman approaching.
▪ They took to their heels when they saw the policeman approaching.
to heel 1 : to a position that is close behind
▪ She called the dog to heel. [=she told the dog to return close to her] ▪ The dog came to heel. 2 : into a controlled or obedient condition
▪ We hope these measures will help to bring inflation to heel. [=will help to control inflation] ▪ The President is trying to bring to heel his opponents in the legislature. [=to force his opponents to do what he wants them to do] ▪ They are not likely to come to heel.
▪ She called the dog to heel. [=she told the dog to return close to her] ▪ The dog came to heel.
▪ We hope these measures will help to bring inflation to heel. [=will help to control inflation] ▪ The President is trying to bring to heel his opponents in the legislature. [=to force his opponents to do what he wants them to do] ▪ They are not likely to come to heel.
under heel
◊If you are under the heel of someone or under someone's heel or US under heel, you are completely controlled by another person, group, etc.
▪ They put us under their heel. ▪ They kept us under heel.
▪ They put us under their heel. ▪ They kept us under heel.
