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Heel vs Villain - What's the difference?

heel | villain | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between heel and villain

is that heel is the rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg while villain is a vile, wicked person.

As verbs the difference between heel and villain

is that heel is to follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely while villain is to debase; to degrade.

As a proper noun Heel

is a part of Maasgouw in the Netherlands.

heel

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) hele, heel, from (etyl) . More at (l).

Noun

(en noun)
  • (anatomy) The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.
  • * Denham
  • He [the stag] calls to mind his strength and then his speed, / His winged heels and then his armed head.
  • The part of a shoe's sole which supports the foot's heel.
  • The rear part of a sock or similar covering for the foot.
  • (firearms) The back upper part of the stock.
  • The last or lowest part of anything; as, the heel of a mast'' or ''the heel of a vessel .
  • * A. Trollope
  • the heel of a hunt
  • (US, Ireland) A crust end-piece of a loaf of bread.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
  • the heel of the white loaf
  • (US) The base of a bun sliced in half lengthwise.
  • * 1996 , Ester Reiter, Making Fast Food: From the Frying Pan Into the Fryer (page 100)
  • The bottom half, or the bun heel is placed in the carton, and the pickle slices spread evenly over the meat or cheese.
  • A contemptible, inconsiderate or thoughtless person.
  • (slang, professional wrestling) A wrestler whose on-ring persona embodies villainous or reprehensible traits. Contrast with babyface.
  • * 1992 , Bruce Lincoln, Discourse and the Construction of Society (page 158)
  • Freedman began his analysis by noting two important facts about professional wrestling: First, that heels triumph considerably more often than do babyfaces
  • (card games) The cards set aside for later use in a patience or solitaire game.
  • Anything regarded as like a human heel in shape; a protuberance; a knob.
  • (architecture) The lower end of a timber in a frame, as a post or rafter. Specifically, (US), the obtuse angle of the lower end of a rafter set sloping.
  • (architecture) A cyma reversa; so called by workmen.
  • (Gwilt)
  • (carpentry) the short side of an angled cut
  • Antonyms
    * (angled cut in carpentry) toe
    Derived terms
    * Achilles heel * bring someone to heel * cool one's heels * dig in one's heels * down at heel * head over heels * heelside * heel-and-toe * high heels * hot on somebody's heels * kick one's heels * kick up one's heels * kitten heel * Tar Heel * stiletto heel * spike heel * take to one's heels * turn on one's heel * well-heeled

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely.
  • To add a heel to, or increase the size of the heel of (a shoe or boot).
  • To kick with the heel.
  • To perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, etc.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I cannot sing, / Nor heel the high lavolt.
  • To arm with a gaff, as a cock for fighting.
  • Etymology 2

    Alteration of earlier heeld, from (etyl) heelden, from (etyl) hyldan, ). More at (l).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To incline to one side, to tilt (especially of ships).
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of inclining or canting from a vertical position; a cant.
  • The ship gave a heel to port.
    Synonyms
    * (l)

    villain

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (archaic)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (rfc-sense) (en) A vile, wicked person.
  • # An extremely depraved person, or one capable or guilty of great crimes.
  • # A deliberate scoundrel.
  • The bad person in a work of fiction; often the main antagonist of the hero.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1905, author=
  • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=Miss Phyllis Morgan, as the hapless heroine dressed in the shabbiest of clothes, appears in the midst of a gay and giddy throng; she apostrophises all and sundry there, including the villain , and has a magnificent scene which always brings down the house, and nightly adds to her histrionic laurels.}}
  • * July 18 2012 , Scott Tobias, AV Club The Dark Knight Rises [http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-dark-knight-rises-review-batman,82624/]
  • As The Dark Knight Rises brings a close to Christopher Nolan’s staggeringly ambitious Batman trilogy, it’s worth remembering that director chose The Scarecrow as his first villain —not necessarily the most popular among the comic’s gallery of rogues, but the one who set the tone for entire series.
  • Synonyms

    * knave * rascal * scamp * bad guy * cad * See also * See also *antagonist

    Derived terms

    * supervillain * villainess

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To debase; to degrade.
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