heeled
heeled — verb
- heeledpresent simple I / you / we / they
- heeleds3rd person singular
- heeleding-ing form
- heelededpast simple
1. To fit a fresh heel on a boot or shoe, or to mend the existing heel when it is b
To fit a fresh heel on a boot or shoe, or to mend the existing heel when it is broken or worn down.
The shoemaker heeled Apinya's boots with strong black rubber.
object is footwear being repaired
Rohan took his old leather shoes to the shop to have them heeled for winter.
Camila learned how to heel dancing shoes during her first week at the cobblers.
If the heel is loose, a shop can heel the shoe in about twenty minutes.
文法句型
heel + object (shoe/boot)
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive: 'be heeled' describes shoes that have received new heels.
常見錯誤
2. In rugby, to send the ball backward by striking it with the bottom of your foot
In rugby, to send the ball backward by striking it with the bottom of your foot during a scrum or ruck.
The scrum-half shouted for the pack to heel the ball cleanly.
rugby command: heel + the ball
David heeled the ball out of the ruck and his team gained possession.
If the forwards cannot heel the ball, the other side may win the scrum.
Noor watched the players heel the ball during the training session at the club.
文法句型
heel + the ball
用法筆記
Only used in rugby contexts. The object is almost always 'the ball'. This sense does not carry over to other sports.
常見錯誤
3. To walk directly behind someone, staying close to the back of their feet, someti
To walk directly behind someone, staying close to the back of their feet, sometimes to urge them to go faster.
The sheepdog heeled the wandering goats back toward the farm gate.
animal as object; urging forward
Mira trained her puppy to stay at heel while they walked along the busy street.
The rider heeled the tired horse up the last hill on the trail.
Farmers sometimes heel slow cattle by staying close at their back legs.
- lead
to go in front rather than behind
文法句型
heel + object (person or animal)
用法筆記
Commonly used with animals (dogs, cattle, horses) rather than people. The 'heel' command given to a dog uses this sense as an intransitive imperative.
常見錯誤
4. When a ship or boat leans sideways in the water, pushed by wind or waves; or to
When a ship or boat leans sideways in the water, pushed by wind or waves; or to make a vessel lean in this way.
The sailboat heeled left when a strong gust of wind hit the canvas.
intransitive: ship heels in response to wind
Kian heeled the small dinghy by shifting his weight to the right side.
transitive: person causes the boat to lean
Passengers held tight as the ferry heeled in the rough water of the channel.
The captain told the crew not to heel the boat far in the strong wind.
A well-designed racing boat can heel a little without taking on water.
- right
to return a boat to an upright position
文法句型
heel (intransitive: ship heels)
heel + object (transitive: wind heels the boat)
用法筆記
This is a nautical term. Do not confuse with 'tilt' or 'lean', which are used for non-boating contexts. Heeling is normal in sailing; dangerous heeling is called 'listing'.
常見錯誤
heeled — noun
1. The rounded rear part of a person's or animal's foot, positioned just under the
The rounded rear part of a person's or animal's foot, positioned just under the ankle joint at the very back of the foot.
Shirin felt a sharp pain in her heel after running ten kilometres on hard road.
pain in the heel from physical activity
The doctor examined the bruise on the child's heel where the stone had hit it.
Marta rose onto her toes, lifting her heels off the floor to reach the shelf.
New shoes often rub against the heel and cause blisters until they are worn in.
The horse's heel needs to be checked for cracks before the race begins.
用法筆記
Also used for animals — a horse has a heel at the back of its hoof. This is the primary anatomical sense from which all other 'heel' meanings extend.
2. The inner portion within footwear that sits at the rear, against the back of the
The inner portion within footwear that sits at the rear, against the back of the foot.
There was a small hole in the heel of Esme's favourite woollen sock.
hole in the heel of a sock
Hana bought running shoes with extra padding in the heel for comfort.
The heel of this boot is lined with soft fabric to stop rubbing.
Ife checked the heels of all her socks before packing them for the trip.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (SHOE HEEL): this sense is the fabric part that covers the foot, whereas sense 3 is the raised block under the shoe.
3. The solid raised block fixed underneath the rear section of a shoe, which lifts
The solid raised block fixed underneath the rear section of a shoe, which lifts the foot up from the ground.
One of the heels on Camila's new sandals broke off as she walked downstairs.
broken heel on footwear
Rohan prefers shoes with low, wide heels because they are easier to walk in.
The shop replaced the worn heels on David's work boots for a small fee.
Women in the office often wear shoes with high heels during formal meetings.
Kian tapped the heel of his boot on the floor to shake off the mud.
- wedge
a type of heel that is a solid triangular block from toe to heel
用法筆記
Often modified by adjectives describing height or shape: 'high heel', 'low heel', 'block heel', 'stiletto heel'. 'Heels' (plural) can refer to high-heeled shoes as a category.
常見錯誤
4. A person who behaves in a dishonest, selfish, or cruel way, treating others badl
A person who behaves in a dishonest, selfish, or cruel way, treating others badly for personal gain.
The newspapers called the politician a heel for taking money from poor families.
informal: 'a heel' = a despicable person
Apinya refused to work with someone she knew was a complete heel.
In wrestling, the heel is the villain who cheats and makes the crowd angry.
Marta called her former business partner a heel after he took all the money.
用法筆記
This sense is informal and somewhat old-fashioned in everyday speech, but remains current in professional wrestling where 'heel' is the standard term for a villainous character (opposite of 'face').
5. The thick zone on the lower palm, just above where the hand meets the wrist.
The thick zone on the lower palm, just above where the hand meets the wrist.
Shirin pressed the heel of her hand against the lid to push it open.
heel of the hand used for pressure
The masseuse kneaded the tight muscles in the heel of Noor's palm.
Ife rested the heel of her hand on the table while she wrote the letter.
A callus had formed on the heel of Hana's hand from rowing every day.
用法筆記
Always used with 'of the hand' to avoid confusion with the foot heel. Common in descriptions of physical actions like pushing, pressing, or resting weight on the hand.
常見錯誤
6. The outer end slice cut from a bread loaf, which typically has a thicker crust a
The outer end slice cut from a bread loaf, which typically has a thicker crust and is sometimes left over.
Mira always saves the heel of the bread to make toast in the morning.
typical use: saved for toasting
The children argued about who had to eat the heel of the loaf for lunch.
Rohan spread butter on the heel of the fresh bread and ate it with soup.
Bakers often sell bags of bread heels at a lower price than whole loaves.
- crust end
describes the same piece by its texture rather than position
用法筆記
Also called the 'crust end' or colloquially 'the butt of the bread' in some regions. In a loaf of sliced bread, there are two heels — one at each end.