show one's heels
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Also, show a clean pair of heels. Run away, flee, as in He wanted to ask her out but she showed her heels before he had a chance, or As soon as the burglar alarm went off, the housebreaker showed a clean pair of heels. The backs of one's heels are exactly what is seen when one is running away, but the allusion of clean is a bit puzzling, unless it is meant in the colloquial sense of “thorough,” as in a clean getaway. [First half of 1500s]
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Words nearby show one's heels
show-off, show of hands, show one's colors, show one's face, show one's hand, show one's heels, show one's teeth, show one's true colors, showpiece, showplace, show pony
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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