heel

n. countable

B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈhiɫ// UK //hˈiːl// heel

Archaic General-service Informal Slang

n. the back part of your foot below the ankle. It also refers to the part of a shoe that supports this area.

n. the rounded posterior portion of the human foot, situated below the ankle and behind the arch. By extension, the part of a footwear item that supports or elevates this anatomical region.

SIMPLE

The back of my heel is sore from these new shoes.

CONTEXTUAL

She had to stop walking because the stiff leather of her new boots was rubbing against her heel.

COMPLEX

The cobbler explained that replacing the worn rubber on the heel would significantly extend the life of the expensive Italian loafers.

Synonyms

Etymology 1

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.

Etymology 2

Probably inferred from hielded, the past tense of hield, from Middle English helden, heelden, from Old English hyldan, hieldan (“to incline”), cognate with Old Norse hella (“to pour out”) (whence Danish hælde (“lean, pour”)).

Etymology 3

See hele (“conceal, keep secret, cover”).

Usage

Commonly used in the idiom 'at/on the heels of' to mean following closely behind.

Idioms3 entries