heel

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The back part of the foot, below the ankle.

   My new shoes rubbed against my heels and gave me blisters.

2. 2
   noun

   A shoe with a raised back part; (plural) high-heeled shoes.

   She wore black heels to the party.

3. 3
   noun

   The lower back part of the palm, near the wrist.

   He pushed the door open with the heel of his hand.

4. 4
   verb

   (of a boat) To lean over to one side.

   The yacht heeled over in the strong wind.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

The verb heel meaning “to set a plant in the ground and cover its roots” comes from Old English helian, “to cover,” ultimately from an ancient Indo-European root meaning “cover” or “hide.” It was originally unrelated to heel meaning the part of the foot.

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.

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary