Library / English Dictionary

HEEL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("heel" is a kind of...):

bottom; underside; undersurface (the lower side of anything)

Meronyms (parts of "heel"):

lift (one of the layers forming the heel of a shoe or boot)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "heel"):

Cuban heel (a broad heel of medium height on women's shoes)

French heel (a fairly high narrow heel on women's shoes)

spike; spike heel; stiletto heel (a very high narrow heel on women's shoes)

stacked heel (a heel made of many layers of leather)

wedge; wedge heel (a heel that is an extension of the sole of the shoe)

wineglass heel (a heel on a woman's shoe in the shape of a wineglass)

Holonyms ("heel" is a part of...):

boot (footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg)

shoe (footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material)

Derivation:

heel (perform with the heels)

heel (follow at the heels of a person)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(golf) the part of the clubhead where it joins the shaft

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("heel" is a kind of...):

part; portion (something less than the whole of a human artifact)

Domain category:

golf; golf game (a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes)

Holonyms ("heel" is a part of...):

club-head; club head; clubhead; golf-club head ((golf) the head of the club which strikes the ball)

Derivation:

heel (strike with the heel of the club)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The lower end of a ship's mast

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("heel" is a kind of...):

end; terminal (either extremity of something that has length)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The back part of the human foot

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("heel" is a kind of...):

skeletal structure (any structure created by the skeleton of an organism)

Meronyms (parts of "heel"):

Achilles tendon; tendon of Achilles (a large tendon that runs from the heel to the calf)

Holonyms ("heel" is a part of...):

foot; human foot; pes (the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint)

Derivation:

heel (perform with the heels)

heel (follow at the heels of a person)

Sense 5

Meaning:

One of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("heel" is a kind of...):

end; terminal (either extremity of something that has length)

Holonyms ("heel" is a part of...):

loaf; loaf of bread (a shaped mass of baked bread that is usually sliced before eating)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Someone who is morally reprehensible

Example:

you dirty dog

Synonyms:

blackguard; bounder; cad; dog; heel; hound

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("heel" is a kind of...):

scoundrel; villain (a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "heel"):

perisher (bounder)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Put a new heel on

Example:

heel shoes

Synonyms:

heel; reheel

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "heel" is one way to...):

bushel; doctor; fix; furbish up; mend; repair; restore; touch on (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Strike with the heel of the club

Example:

heel a golf ball

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "heel" is one way to...):

hit (cause to move by striking)

Domain category:

golf; golf game (a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

heel ((golf) the part of the clubhead where it joins the shaft)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Perform with the heels

Example:

heel that dance

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "heel" is one way to...):

dance; trip the light fantastic; trip the light fantastic toe (move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance)

Domain category:

dance; dancing; saltation; terpsichore (taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music)

dance (an artistic form of nonverbal communication)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

heel (the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation)

heel (the back part of the human foot)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Follow at the heels of a person

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "heel" is one way to...):

follow; travel along (travel along a certain course)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

heel (the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation)

heel (the back part of the human foot)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Tilt to one side

Example:

The ship listed to starboard

Synonyms:

heel; list

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "heel" is one way to...):

angle; lean; slant; tilt; tip (to incline or bend from a vertical position)

Verb group:

lean; list (cause to lean to the side)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Credits

 Context examples: 

At the same time, the schooner began to turn upon her heel, spinning slowly, end for end, across the current.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He came back with a great silver-mounted box under his arm, and close at his heels was the gentleman whose coming had made such a disturbance.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Just as he was going out of the iron door it struck twelve, and the door fell so quickly upon him that it snapped off a piece of his heel.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

The irregular and largest tarsal bone that forms the heel.

(Calcaneum, NCI Thesaurus)

She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran and opened the door.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

It can also attack ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows.

(Gout, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Heel problems are common and can be painful.

(Heel Injuries and Disorders, NIH)

A measurement of the length of the lower leg from the top of the knee to the bottom of the heel.

(Knee to Heel Length Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

His nose gave him a varying description of the passage of the life on the heels of which he was travelling.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

As never before, he felt his dependence on the love-master, close at whose heels he followed, no matter what happened never losing sight of him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)