heel
part of speech
noun (a heel, heels); verb (heel, heels, heeled, heeling)
meaning for a pupil
1) The back part of your foot under the ankle. tree →
2) The part of a shoe or sock under the back of the foot; «heels» can mean shoes with high heels. tree →
3) The lower back part of the palm of your hand. tree →
4) (verb) «Heel!» is a command telling a dog to walk close by your side. tree →
5) To take to your heels means to run away quickly, and to be at someone's heels means to follow right behind them. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In Genesis, Jacob takes hold of Esau's heel and is named for it. In the Prophets and Writings the heel is also used as a picture. A snare takes a man "by the heel," and a friend who "lifts up his heel" is one who turns against you. Hosea looks back to Jacob taking his brother by the heel in the womb. Interpretation: Jacob is named for holding Esau's heel (akev). The rabbis see this as a hint that he would follow and overtake his brother. Dan and Gad are likened to a serpent and a troop by the heel. Tradition reads the friend who lifts his heel as the trusted person who betrays, and Hosea's words as a reminder of Jacob's early strength and later wrestling. In the primary lessons: In science and the body, the heel takes your weight when you walk. In first aid, a blister on the heel comes from tight shoes. In pet care, teaching a dog to «heel» keeps it safe on walks. Phrases: «on someone's heels», «high heels», «Achilles heel», «dig your heels in», «head over heels».
examples
- Gad, a troop shall troop upon him; but he shall troop upon their heel. (Torah GEN.49.19, JPS 1917) tree →
- And after that came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob. (Torah GEN.25.26, JPS 1917) tree →
- Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that biteth the horse's heels, so that his rider falleth backward. (Torah GEN.49.17, JPS 1917) tree →
- A gin shall take him by the heel, and a snare shall lay hold on him. (Writings JOB.18.9, JPS 1917) tree →
- In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and by his strength he strove with a godlike being; (Prophets HOS.12.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. (Writings PSA.41.10, JPS 1917) tree →
- I got a blister on my heel from my new shoes. tree →
- Mum wears heels to parties. tree →
- The dog walked at my heel. tree →
- «Heel!» said the trainer, and the dog stopped pulling. tree →
- My sock has a hole in the heel. tree →
- The puppy followed close on my heels. tree →
- Push with the heel of your hand. tree →
- All took to their heels the moment they saw him. tree →
note
Countable: heels. Homophone: «heal» (get better) — «the cut on my heel will heal». «Dig your heels in» means refuse to change your mind. «Head over heels» means falling over or being very much in love.
In the corpora
- And after that came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob.
- Gad, a troop shall troop upon him; but he shall troop upon their heel.
- In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and by his strength he strove with a godlike being;
- A gin shall take him by the heel, and a snare shall lay hold on him.
- Grandad's sheepdog Bess nips Chloe's heels, herding her like a lost lamb, until Grandad whistles her off.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «heel» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.