# down at heel

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/down-at-heel
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Shabbily dressed, slovenly; impoverished; shabby, dilapidated.

## Examples

- His old shoes look quite down at heel.
- After losing his job, he looked rather down at heel in his worn-out coat and scuffed boots.
- The once-grand estate had become noticeably down at heel, with peeling paint and overgrown gardens reflecting the family's declining fortune.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.