HEEL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does heel mean? 

• HEEL (noun)
  The noun HEEL has 6 senses:

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

2. the back part of the human foot

3. someone who is morally reprehensible

4. one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread

5. the lower end of a ship's mast

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

  Familiarity information: HEEL used as a noun is common.

• HEEL (verb)
  The verb HEEL has 5 senses:

1. tilt to one side

2. follow at the heels of a person

3. perform with the heels

4. strike with the heel of the club

5. put a new heel on

  Familiarity information: HEEL used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HEEL (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:

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 3

Meaning:

Someone who is morally reprehensible

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

blackguard; bounder; cad; dog; heel; hound

Context example:

you dirty dog

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)

Sense 4

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 5

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 6

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)

• HEEL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they heel    ... he / she / it heels   
Past simple: heeled   
Past participle: heeled   
-ing form: heeling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Tilt to one side

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

heel; list

Context example:

The ship listed to starboard

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

Sense 2

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 3

Meaning:

Perform with the heels

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

heel that dance

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:

Strike with the heel of the club

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

heel a golf ball

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 5

Meaning:

Put a new heel on

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

heel; reheel

Context example:

heel shoes

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

 Context examples 

I was heeled also, and I held up my gun to scare him off and let me get away.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

One sorrow comes close upon the heels of another.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He looked up, and it seemed that the room was lifting, heeling, and plunging like a ship upon the sea.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Mr. Latimer followed closely at my heels, and took his place opposite to me without a word.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As she filled away and heeled, the arm-chair began to slide across the cabin floor, and I sprang for it just in time to prevent the rescued woman from being spilled out.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

"It is well," he said, turning resolutely on his heel.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

We compute the Tramecksan, or high heels, to exceed us in number; but the power is wholly on our side.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Even as Alleyne watched them they turned upon their heels and plodded off together upon their way.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Leaving all his private concerns, like the good citizen that he was, he followed you closely in the fog and kept at your heels until you reached this very house.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

What you say is very well founded; and my impatience has shown its heels to my politeness.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)