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1[countable] the back part of the foot below the ankle
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part of sock/shoe - 2[countable] the part of a sock, etc. that covers the heel
- 3[countable] the raised part on the bottom of a shoe, boot, etc. that makes the shoe, etc. higher at the back shoes with a low/high heel a stiletto heel The sergeant clicked his heels and walked out. compare sole -heeled
- 4(in adjectives) having the type of heel mentioned high-heeled shoes see well-heeled shoes
- 5heels [plural] a pair of women's shoes that have high heels She doesn't often wear heels. see also kitten heels part of hand
- 6[countable] heel of your hand/palm the raised part of the inside of the hand where it joins the wrist unpleasant man
- 7[countable] (old-fashioned) (informal) a man who is unpleasant to other people and cannot be trusted see Achilles heel, down at heel
- 1to force someone to obey you and accept discipline a non-violent means of bringing the rebels to heel
- 2to make a dog come close to you
- 1(of a person) to agree to obey someone and accept their orders
- 2(of a dog) to come close to the person who has called it
part of foot
following closely behind someone He ran from the stadium with the police at his heels.
to have to wait for someone or something
to refuse to do something or to change your mind about something They dug in their heels and would not lower the price.
to be deliberately slow in doing something or in making a decision
loving someone very much He's fallen head over heels in love with his boss.
to be relaxed and enjoy yourself
very close behind someone or something; very soon after something News of rising unemployment followed hard on the heels of falling export figures. He ran ahead, with the others hot on his heels
to run away from someone or something
to turn around suddenly so that you are facing in the opposite direction
completely controlled by someone The island spent several centuries under the heel of the Spanish Empire.
Check pronunciation: heel