HEELING
Verb
heeling
present participle of heel
Noun
heeling (countable and uncountable, plural heelings)
(nautical) An inclination to one side; a tilt.
Source: Wiktionary
HEEL
Heel, v. i. Etym: [OE. helden to lean, incline, AS. heldan, hyldan;
akin to Icel. halla, Dan. helde, Sw. hälla to tilt, pour, and perh.
to E. hill.] (Naut.)
Definition: To lean or tip to one side, as a ship; as, the ship heels
aport; the boat heeled over when the squall struck it. Heeling error
(Naut.), a deviation of the compass caused by the heeling of an iron
vessel to one side or the other.
Heel, n. Etym: [OE. hele, heele, AS. hela, perh. for hohila, fr. AS.
heh heel (cf. Hough); but cf. D. hiel, OFries. heila, h, Icel. hæll,
Dan. hæl, Sw. häl, and L. calx. sq. root12. Cf. Inculcate.]
1. The hinder part of the foot; sometimes, the whole foot; -- in man
or quadrupeds.
He [the stag] calls to mind his strength and then his speed, His
winged heels and then his armed head. Denham.
2. The hinder part of any covering for the foot, as of a shoe, sock,
etc.; specif., a solid part projecting downward from the hinder part
of the sole of a boot or shoe.
3. The latter or remaining part of anything; the closing or
concluding part. "The heel of a hunt." A. Trollope. "The heel of the
white loaf." Sir W. Scott.
4. Anything regarded as like a human heel in shape; a protuberance; a
knob.
5. The part of a thing corresponding in position to the human heel;
the lower part, or part on which a thing rests; especially:
(a) (Naut.) The after end of a ship's keel.
(b) (Naut.) The lower end of a mast, a boom, the bowsprit, the
sternpost, etc.
(c) (Mil.) In a small arm, the corner of the but which is upwards in
the firing position.
(d) (Mil.) The uppermost part of the blade of a sword, next to the
hilt.
(e) The part of any tool next the tang or handle; as, the heel of a
scythe.
6. (Man.)
Definition: Management by the heel, especially the spurred heel; as, the
horse understands the heel well.
7. (Arch.)
(a) The lower end of a timber in a frame, as a post or rafter. In the
United States, specif., the obtuse angle of the lower end of a rafter
set sloping.
(b) A cyma reversa; -- so called by workmen. Gwilt. Heel chain
(Naut.), a chain passing from the bowsprit cap around the heel of the
jib boom.
– Heel plate, the butt plate of a gun.
– Heel of a rafter. (Arch.) See Heel, n., 7.
– Heel ring, a ring for fastening a scythe blade to the snath.
– Neck and heels, the whole body. (Colloq.) -- To be at the heels
of, to pursue closely; to follow hard: as, hungry want is at my
heels. Otway.
– To be down at the heel, to be slovenly or in a poor plight.
– To be out at the heels, to have on stockings that are worn out;
hence, to be shabby, or in a poor plight. Shak.
– To cool the heels. See under Cool.
– To go heels over head, to turn over so as to bring the heels
uppermost; hence, to move in a inconsiderate, or rash, manner.
– To have the heels of, to outrun.
– To lay by the heels, to fetter; to shackle; to imprison. Shak.
Addison.
– To show the heels, to flee; to run from.
– To take to the heels, to flee; to betake to flight.
– To throw up another's heels, to trip him. Bunyan.
– To tread upon one's heels, to follow closely. Shak.
Heel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Heeled; p. pr. & vb. n. Heeling.]
1. To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, and
the like. [R.]
I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt. Shak.
2. To add a heel to; as, to heel a shoe.
3. To arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition