the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
"She noticed a hole in the heel of her worn-out boots after walking on gravel all day."
the back part of the human foot
"She twisted her ankle after she tripped and landed hard on her heel."
one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread
"He saved the last two heels of the fresh sourdough to make breadcrumbs later."
the lower end of a ship's mast
"The sailor climbed down the rigging to inspect the heel where it meets the deck."
(golf) the part of the clubhead where it joins the shaft
"The golfer adjusted his grip to ensure the heel of the driver was properly aligned before taking his swing."
The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.
"The ship began to heel sharply as the storm waves crashed against its side."
The act of inclining or canting from a vertical position; a cant.
In plain English: Heel means to lean or tilt something over.
"The ship developed a noticeable heel as the wind picked up."
Usage: The heel is the bony bump on your foot that connects to your ankle and supports your body weight when you stand or walk. You can also use this word as a verb to describe following someone very closely, such as in "the dog ran at my heels."
follow at the heels of a person
"The detective followed at the heels of the suspect until he lost sight around the corner."
To follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely.
"The old manuscript used 'heel' as an archaic spelling to mean that he must heel his true feelings from view."
To incline to one side; to tilt.
Alternative form of hele (“cover; conceal”).
In plain English: To heel means to hide or protect something.
"He tried to heel the exposed edges of the wooden box with extra glue."
A part of Maasgouw in the Netherlands
"The village of Heel is located in the province of Limburg, not Maasgouw."
The word heel comes from Old English hēla, which originally referred to the joint on a horse's leg known as the hock. It is essentially a diminutive form derived from the same root that gives us the modern word hock.