HEEL  . (I) (O . Eng. hela, cf . Dutch hiel; a derivative of O . Eng. la h, hough, hock), that

part of the foot in man which is situated below and behind the ankle; by analogy, the calcaneal part of the tarsus in other vertebrates . The heel proper in digitigrades and ungulates is raised off the ground and is commonly known as the "knee" or " hock," while the term " heel " is applied to the hind hoofs . (2) (A variant of the earlier Meld; cf . Dutch hellen, for helden), to turn over to one side, especially of a ship . It is this word probably, in the sense of " tip-up," used particularly of the tilting or tipping of a cask or barrel of liquor, that explains the origin of the expression " no heel-taps," a direction to the drinkers of a toast to drain their glasses and leave no dregs remaining . " Tap " is a common word for liquor, and a cask is said to be " heeled " when it is tipped and only dregs or muddy liquor are left . This suits the actual sense of the phrase better than the explanations which connect it with tapping the " heel " or bottom of the glass (see Notes and Queries, 4th series, vols. xi.—xii., and 5th series, vol. i.) .