to heel
Idioms-
Close behind someone, as in The dog started chasing the car but Miriam called him to heel . This expression is used almost solely in reference to dogs. The heel in this idiom, first recorded in 1810, is the person's.
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Under control or discipline, as in By a series of surprise raids the police brought the gang members to heel . This expression alludes to controlling a dog by training it to follow at one's heels. [Late 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He warned then that such an approach – whether on Brexit or Scottish independence -meant that political divisions were not permitted to heal.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
"I want them to get their revenge by going on to have wonderful lives…now it's time for them to heal," he said.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
But a slate of research teams around the world are on an ambitious quest to cure arthritis, developing therapies that regrow cartilage and rebuild underlying bone to heal damaged joints.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026
That would confirm that the labor market is not merely avoiding deterioration; it is beginning to heal.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026
Ittooktime to heal, though, and then it blends better.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
