TO BLESS THE WORLD WITH ONE’S HEELS, verb. phr. (old).—To be hanged. For synonyms, see LADDER.
1566–7. W. PAINTER, The Palace of Pleasure, sign R., 8. And the next daye, the three theves were conveied forth to BLESSE THE WORLDS WITH THEIR HEELES.
TO COOL (or KICK) THE HEELS, verb. phr. (common).—To wait a long while at an appointed place.
1641. Bartholomew Faire, p. 4. A Constable, who forthwith comitted my little hot furie to the stockes, where we will leave him to COOLE HIS HEELES, whilst we take a further view of the Faire.
1673. WYCHERLEY, The Gentleman Dancing-Master, iv., 1. They ne’er think of the poor watchful chambermaid, who sits KNOCKING HER HEELS IN THE COLD, for want of better exercise, in some melancholy lobby or entry.
1752. FIELDING, Amelia, vi. ix. In this parlour Amelia COOLED HER HEELS, as the phrase is, near a quarter of an hour.
1830. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford (Ed. 1854), p. 22. He expected all who KICKED THEIR HEELS at his house would behave decent and polite to young Mr. Dot.
1833. MARRYAT, Peter Simple, I. xiii. Tell him that I’ll trouble him to forget to go to sleep again as he did last time, and leave me here KICKING MY HEELS, contrary to the rules and regulations of the service.
1879. G. A. SALA, Paris Herself Again, i. We COOLED OUR HEELS during the ordinary an intolerable half hour.
1888. LYNCH, A Mountain Mystery, ch. xlvi. That young gentleman, who had been COOLING HIS HEELS for what seemed to him like half the night.
TO LAY BY THE HEELS, verb. phr. (common).—To confine; to fetter; to jail.
1601. SHAKESPEARE, Henry VIII., v. 4.
| If the king blame me for it, I’ll LAY ye all | |
| BY THE HEELS, and suddenly. |
1614. JONSON, Bartholomew Fair, iii. 6. Lea. Sir, if you be not quiet, the quicklier, I’ll ha’ you CLAPP’D fairely BY THE HEELES, for disturbing the Faire.
1663–78. BUTLER, Hudibras, i., 3, 1013.
| Th’ one half of man, his mind, | |
| Is, sui juris, unconfin’d, | |
| And cannot be LAID BY THE HEELS. |
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1886. R. L. STEVENSON, Kidnapped, p. 184. If they LAY ME BY THE HEELS, Alan, it’s then that you’ll be needing the money.
TO LIFT ONE’S HEELS, verb. phr. (venery).—To lie down for copulation; to SPREAD (q.v.).
TO TURN (or TOPPLE) UP THE HEELS (or TOES), verb. phr. (old).—To die. For synonyms, see ALOFT.
1592. NASHE, Pierce Penilesse, His Supplication to the Divell [GROSART], ii., 77. Our trust is … you will TOURNE UP THEIR HEELES one of these yeares together, and prouide them of such vnthrifts to their heires, as shall spend in one weeke … what they got … all their lifetime.
1596. NASHE, Lenten Stuffe (GROSART, Works, v., 218). Seaven thousand and fifty people TOPPLED UP THEIR HEELES.
TO TAKE TO (or SHOW) A PAIR OF HEELS, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To take to flight; to run away. For synonyms, see AMPUTATE.
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Comedy of Errors, i. 2. Nay, as you will not, sir, I’ll Take My Heels.
1864. Chambers’s Journal, Dec. Once before he had ‘found meanes yet at length to deceive his keepers, and TOOK HIM TO HIS HEELS’ to the sea coast.
HIS HEELS, verb. phr. (gaming).—The knave of trumps at cribbage or all-fours. Hence ‘TWO FOR HIS HEELS’ = two points scored (at cribbage) for turning up this card.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
TO TREAD UPON (or TO BE AT or UPON) THE HEELS, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To follow close or hard after; to pursue.
1596. SHAKESPEARE, Hamlet, iv. 7. One woe doth TREAD UPON ANOTHER’S HEELS.
TO GO HEELS OVER HEAD, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To turn a somersault; to be hasty; to fall violently. Also TOP OVER TAIL.
1540. LYNDSAY, Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis, 3744. This fals warld is turnit TOP OUIR TAILL.
TO HAVE (or GET) THE HEELS OF, verb. phr. (old).—To outrun; to get an advantage.
1718. SMOLLETT, Roderick Random, xlvii. Thou hast GOT THE HEELS OF me at last.
DOWN (or OUT) AT HEEL, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Slipshod; shabby; in decay.
1605. SHAKESPEARE, King Lear, ii. 2. A good man’s future may grow OUT AT HEELS.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1851–6. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, iii., 122. He was a little DOWN AT HEEL.
