heel

The word “heel” means the rounded back part of the foot, or the corresponding part of a shoe or sock. In plain terms, most often the back of your foot or shoe; also slang for a villain, and a dog-training command.

“Heel” is pronounced heel (/hil/ in IPA).

Here is “heel” used in a sentence: “Her new boots rubbed a blister on her heel.”

Words with a similar meaning to “heel” include boot, butt, crust, ender, knob-end and outsider.

The opposite of “heel” — its antonyms — are toe and babyface.

Depending on how it is used, “heel” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “heel” comes from Old English. From Old English hēla, related to "hock." The "bad guy in wrestling" and "contemptible person" senses are much more recent American slang, likely from the idea of someone who is "low," like the bottom part of the foot.

“Heel” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

In professional wrestling, a heel is a performer who plays the villain role, while a face (from "babyface") is the hero the crowd is meant to support. The heel typically uses underhanded tactics and provokes the audience, driving the storyline conflict.

Calling someone a heel means describing them as a contemptible, dishonest, or unscrupulous person. The term is informal and carries a strong negative judgment about someone's character or behaviour.

When a boat or ship heels, it tilts or leans over to one side, usually because of wind pressure on its sails or a turn. This is a normal part of sailing and is distinct from capsizing, which is a complete loss of control.

Teaching a dog to heel means training it to walk obediently close beside its owner, typically at the handler's side rather than pulling ahead or lagging behind. "Heel" is also used as a command to instruct the dog to take up this position.