1 heel
Pronounced:
/ˈhi:l/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural heelsMeaning:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
take to your heels
: to begin to run away ▪ 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.
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.
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.