heelful

English

Etymology

heel +‎ -ful

Noun

heelful (plural heelfuls or heelsful)

1. As much as will cover a heel or that a heel will displace.
   • 1869, Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia:

     It took several dozen "heelsful," winding it round the gathering ball on the leg, as one would wind a ball of string.

   • 1973, Arthur W. Biddle, Paul A. Eschholz, The literature of Vermont: a sampler, page 185:

     Away the boy ran, never minding a stubbed toe or a heelful of thistles that waylaid his course, and, setting the broken fence-cap against a rail, came panting back.

   • 1987, Andrew P. Tobias, The Only Other Investment Guide You'll Ever Need, page 223:

     But people who dig in their heels frequently wind up digging their own graves behind them, heelful by heelful, as, in this hypothetical example, Johnson & Johnson climbs higher and higher.

   • 2006, Zack Wentz, Garbageman And the Prostitute, page 110:

     "Gonna go clean it up, Mr. Barry," he chimes, and goes dancing back toward the bus, kicking up heelfuls of sand as he goes, with the flames of the fire reflected flickering on the back of his shiny, bald skull.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• heleful, helful, helfull, helefuille, helefull, heelfull

Etymology

From hele +‎ -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛːlful/

Adjective

heelful (plural and weak singular heelfulle)

1. Healthful; wholesome.
   • 1966, John Trevisa, Robert Reilly, A Middle English Summary of the Bible:

     Heelful sacrifice and preyer for synnes is to take hede to Þe comandementis and to depart fro vnrigtwisnes.

Descendants

• English: healful
• Scots: heleful, heilful