to heel

to heel
adverb
1. : close to the heels : close behind

at a word from his owner the dog moved to heel

2. : into agreement, control, or subjection : into line

the Commons, realizing that he was master still, came to heel — J.H.Plumb

his disciplined mind, rejecting excuses, came heavily to heel — J.G.Cozzens

it is hard to bring the eye to heel — D.L.Morgan

* * *

to heel
1 : to a position that is close behind

She called the dog to heel. [=she told the dog to return close to her]

The dog came to heel.

2 : into a controlled or obedient condition

We hope these measures will help to bring inflation to heel. [=will help to control inflation]

The President is trying to bring to heel his opponents in the legislature. [=to force his opponents to do what he wants them to do]

They are not likely to come to heel.

• • •
Main Entry: ↑heel

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • Heel — Heel, n. [OE. hele, heele, AS. h[=e]la, perh. for h[=o]hila, fr. AS. h[=o]h heel (cf. {Hough}); but cf. D. hiel, OFries. heila, h[=e]la, Icel. h[ae]ll, Dan. h[ae]l, Sw. h[ a]l, and L. calx. [root]12. Cf. {Inculcate}.] 1. The hinder part of the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heel chain — Heel Heel, n. [OE. hele, heele, AS. h[=e]la, perh. for h[=o]hila, fr. AS. h[=o]h heel (cf. {Hough}); but cf. D. hiel, OFries. heila, h[=e]la, Icel. h[ae]ll, Dan. h[ae]l, Sw. h[ a]l, and L. calx. [root]12. Cf. {Inculcate}.] 1. The hinder part of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heel of a rafter — Heel Heel, n. [OE. hele, heele, AS. h[=e]la, perh. for h[=o]hila, fr. AS. h[=o]h heel (cf. {Hough}); but cf. D. hiel, OFries. heila, h[=e]la, Icel. h[ae]ll, Dan. h[ae]l, Sw. h[ a]l, and L. calx. [root]12. Cf. {Inculcate}.] 1. The hinder part of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heel plate — Heel Heel, n. [OE. hele, heele, AS. h[=e]la, perh. for h[=o]hila, fr. AS. h[=o]h heel (cf. {Hough}); but cf. D. hiel, OFries. heila, h[=e]la, Icel. h[ae]ll, Dan. h[ae]l, Sw. h[ a]l, and L. calx. [root]12. Cf. {Inculcate}.] 1. The hinder part of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heel ring — Heel Heel, n. [OE. hele, heele, AS. h[=e]la, perh. for h[=o]hila, fr. AS. h[=o]h heel (cf. {Hough}); but cf. D. hiel, OFries. heila, h[=e]la, Icel. h[ae]ll, Dan. h[ae]l, Sw. h[ a]l, and L. calx. [root]12. Cf. {Inculcate}.] 1. The hinder part of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heel-and-toe — is a driving technique used mostly in performance driving [http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/heelandtoe.html] , although some drivers use it on the road in everyday conditions in the interests of effectiveness. It involves operating the throttle… …   Wikipedia

  • heel — heel1 [hēl] n. [ME hele < OE hela, akin to Du hiel < Gmc * hanhila < * hanha < IE base * kenk , leg joint, heel] 1. the back part of the human foot, under the ankle and behind the instep: see CALCANEUS 2. the corresponding part of the …   English World dictionary

  • Heel — ist der Name folgender Personen: Johann Heel (1685 1749), deutscher Maler, Halbbruder des Bildhauers Peter Heel Johann Wilhelm Heel (1637 1709), deutscher Goldschmied, Erzgießer, Kupferstecher und Maler aus Nürnberg Magnus Heel (1654 1711),… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Heel (Limbourg neerlandais) — Heel (Limbourg néerlandais) 51°10′50″N 5°53′45″E / 51.18056, 5.89583 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Heel (Pays-Bas) — Heel (Limbourg néerlandais) 51°10′50″N 5°53′45″E / 51.18056, 5.89583 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Heel (limbourg néerlandais) — 51°10′50″N 5°53′45″E / 51.18056, 5.89583 …   Wikipédia en Français

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