heel

noun

(anatomy) The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.

The part of a shoe's sole which supports the foot's heel.

The rear part of a sock or similar covering for the foot.

The part of the palm of a hand closest to the wrist.

(usually in the plural) A high-heeled shoe.

(firearms) The back, upper part of the stock.

(music) The thickening of the neck of a stringed instrument where it attaches to the body.

The last or lowest part of anything.

(US, Ireland, Scotland, Australia) A crust end-piece of a loaf of bread.

(US) The base of a bun sliced in half lengthwise.

(informal, synecdochically) A contemptible, unscrupulous, inconsiderate, or thoughtless person.

(by extension, slang, professional wrestling) 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.

(card games) The cards set aside for later use in a patience or solitaire game.

Anything resembling a human heel in shape; a protuberance; a knob.

(architecture) The lower end of a timber in a frame, as a post or rafter.

(specifically, US) The obtuse angle of the lower end of a rafter set sloping.

(carpentry) The short side of an angled cut.

(golf) The part of a club head's face nearest the shaft.

The lower end of the bit (cutting edge) of an axehead, as opposed to the toe (upper end).

The part of a carding machine's flat nearest the cylinder.

(nautical) The junction between the keel and the stempost of a vessel; an angular wooden join connecting the two.

(metallurgy) Material stored in a smelting furnace between batches

(nautical) The act of inclining or canting from a vertical position; a cant.

A part of Maasgouw in the Netherlands

(architecture, obsolete) A cyma reversa.

verb

To follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely.

To cause to follow at somebody’s heels (transitive).

To add a heel to, or increase the size of the heel of (a shoe or boot).

To kick with the heel.

(transitive) To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, etc.

(transitive) To arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting.

(golf, transitive) To hit (the ball) with the heel of the club.

(American football, transitive) To make (a fair catch) standing with one foot forward, the heel on the ground and the toe up.

(US, intransitive) At Yale University, to work as a heeler or student journalist.

(chiefly nautical) To incline to one side; to tilt.

(rare, now especially in the phrase "heel in") Alternative form of hele (“cover; conceal”). [(rare, now chiefly dialectal or archaic) To hide, conceal, and keep secret, especially for a secret society (such as the masons).]

Synonyms for heel

toen instepn forefootn footn splayfootn fetlockn hoofn pasternn ungula clubfootn

Synonyms & related words for heel

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of heel — including toe, instep, forefoot, foot, splayfoot, fetlock. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to heel

Explore words related to heel — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include heeltap, heelpiece, slingback, hammertoe, toecap, outsole, shoe, insole. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for heel

Common synonyms for heel include toe, instep, forefoot, foot, splayfoot, fetlock, hoof, pastern — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.