heeler

English

Etymology

heel +‎ -er

Pronunciation

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Noun

heeler (plural heelers)

1. A gamecock that strikes well with its heels or spurs.
2. A quick runner.
   • 1891, Banjo Paterson, An Evening in Dandaloo:

     That a crowd of Sydney stealers,
     Jockeys, pugilists and spielers
     Brought some horses, real heelers,
     Came and put us through.

3. A dog that readily comes to heel.
   • 1999, Ted Baer, Communicating with Your Dog: A Humane Approach to Dog Training:

     If your dog is a good heeler, you'll find some competition in the obedience ring.

4. (US, slang, politics, dated) A dependent and subservient hanger-on of a political patron.
   • 1886, Theodore Roosevelt, “Machine Politics”, in The Century:

     The army of hungry heelers who do their bidding.

5. The rodeo performer who ropes the steer by its hind feet after the header has turned it.
6. (US) A student journalist at Yale University.

Derived terms

• blue heeler
• Lancashire Heeler
• ward heeler

 

Anagrams

• reheel