Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - heel

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hela; akin to Old Norse h?ll ~, Old English hoh — more at hock  Date: before 12th century  1.  a. the back of the human foot below the ankle and behind the arch  b. the part of the hind limb of other vertebrates that is homologous with the human ~  2. an anatomical structure suggestive of the human ~; especially the part of the palm of the hand nearest the wrist  3. one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread  4.  a. the part (as of a shoe) that covers the human ~  b. a solid attachment of a shoe or boot forming the back of the sole under the ~ of the foot  5. a rear, low, or bottom part: as  a. the after end of a ship's keel or the lower end of a mast  b. the base of a tuber or cutting of a plant used for propagation  c. the base of a ladder  6. a contemptible person  • ~less adjective  II. verb  Date: 1605  transitive verb  1.  a. to furnish with a ~  b. to supply especially with money  2.  a. to exert pressure on, propel, or strike with the ~ ~ed her horse  b. to urge (as a lagging animal) by following closely or by nipping at the ~s dogs ~ing cattle  intransitive verb to move along at someone's ~s  III. verb  Etymology: alteration of Middle English ~den, from Old English hieldan; akin to Old High German hald inclined, Lithuanian salis side, region  Date: 1575  intransitive verb to lean to one side ; tip; especially of a boat or ship to lean temporarily (as from the action of wind or waves) — compare list  transitive verb to cause (a boat) to ~  IV. noun  Date: 1760 a tilt (as of a boat) to one side; also the extent of such a tilt