heel

Meaning

Noun

1. The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.
2. The part of a shoe's sole which supports the foot's heel.
3. The rear part of a sock or similar covering for the foot.
4. The part of the palm of a hand closest to the wrist.
5. (plural-normally) A high-heeled shoe.
6. The back, upper part of the stock.
7. The thickening of the neck of a stringed instrument where it attaches to the body.
8. The last or lowest part of anything.
9. (Australia, Ireland, Scotland, US) A crust end-piece of a loaf of bread.
10. (US) The base of a bun sliced in half lengthwise.
11. (informal) A contemptible, unscrupulous, inconsiderate, or thoughtless person.
12. (broadly, slang) A headlining wrestler regarded as a "bad guy," whose ring persona embodies villainous or reprehensible traits and demonstrates characteristics of a braggart and a bully.
13. The cards set aside for later use in a patience or solitaire game.
14. Anything resembling a human heel in shape; a protuberance; a knob.
15. The lower end of a timber in a frame, as a post or rafter.
16. (US, specifically) The obtuse angle of the lower end of a rafter set sloping.
17. (obsolete) A cyma reversa.
18. The short side of an angled cut.
19. The part of a club head's face nearest the shaft.
20. The lower end of the bit (cutting edge) of an axehead, as opposed to the toe (upper end).
21. The part of a carding machine's flat nearest the cylinder.
22. The junction between the keel and the stempost of a vessel; an angular wooden join connecting the two.

Verb

1. To follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely.
2. To cause to follow at somebody’s heels (transitive).
3. To add a heel to, or increase the size of the heel of (a shoe or boot).
4. To kick with the heel.
5. (transitive) To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, etc.
6. (transitive) To arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting.
7. (transitive) To hit (the ball) with the heel of the club.
8. (transitive) To make (a fair catch) standing with one foot forward, the heel on the ground and the toe up.
9. (US, intransitive) At Yale University, to work as a heeler or student journalist.

Verb

To incline to one side; to tilt.

Verb

Alternative form of hele (“cover; conceal”).

Synonyms

list

careen

tilt

sole

scoundrel

lean

follow

heeling

cant

incline

bounder

elbow

ankle

cad

toe

villain

🦹‍♂️

base

reheel

hound

blackguard

slant

tip

dog

🐕

hock

foot

🦶

fast

butt

banking

end

🔚

form

bully

listing

lift

decline

bank

🏦

attend

crook

interest

contention

inflect

conjugate

hull

come on

interest rate

jerk

bent

bad guy

hood

head

clinch

Translations

talon

Ferse

talón

tallone

calcagno

hiel

calcanhar

taló

tacco

tacón

quignon

croûton

φτέρνα

Pronounced as (IPA)

/hiːl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: hele

Inherited from Old English: hēla

Cognate with Northern Frisian: haiel

Cognate with Western Frisian: hyl

Cognate with Dutch: hiel

Cognate with Danish: -

Cognate with Norwegian: hæl

Cognate with Swedish: häl

Inherited from Middle English: helden

Inherited from Old English: hyldan

Cognate with Old Norse: hella

In summary

From Middle English hele, from Old English hēla, from Proto-West Germanic *hą̄hilō, from Proto-Germanic *hanhilaz, diminutive of Proto-Germanic *hanhaz (“heel, hock”), equivalent to hock + -le. More at hock.
Compare North Frisian haiel, West Frisian hyl, Dutch hiel, German Low German Hiel, Danish and Norwegian hæl, Swedish häl.