back-heel

verb, transitive + intransitive

ˈbak-ˌhēl 

back-heeled; back-heeling; back-heels

1

transitive : to trip (someone) by getting a foot behind the heel and pushing the body backward

He tried to push me off then but I stepped in fast and back-heeled him and he went down hard …

—Louis L'Amour, Lando, 1962

2

transitive + intransitive : to strike (something) with the heel using a backward kick

He turned and back-heeled the door closed.

—Robin Pilcher, An Ocean Apart, 1999

especially, soccer : to kick (a ball) backward with the heel

… back-heeled the ball to his Brazilian countryman …

—John Haydon, Washington Times, 19 Mar. 2008

He took a touch before back-heeling for his Argentine strike partner …

—Paul Fraser, Northern Echo, 29 Oct. 2007

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Rhymes for back-heel

• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal
• cartwheel
• conceal
• congeal
• coquille
• corneal
• cornmeal
• flywheel
• genteel