1 C1 neutral
In sailing, for a boat to tilt so that the stern rises out of the water.
"Running before the wind, the bow dipped and the stern heeled up alarmingly."
inseparable
heel up
C1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To raise or tilt the heel end of something upward; also a dog training command to bring the dog into the heel position.
In plain English
To tilt something so the back or bottom end goes up, or to bring a dog to walk beside you.
What does "heel up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
In dog training, to command a dog to come to the heel position alongside the handler.
"She called 'heel up!' and the spaniel trotted smartly to her left side."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move the heel (back/bottom part) upward.
Actually means
To tilt something so the back or bottom end goes up, or to bring a dog to walk beside you.
Usage tip
Used in sailing (of a boat tilting stern upward) and in dog training. Very specialist usage in both domains.
Words that pair with "heel up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
boat stern dog training command
How to conjugate "heel up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
heel up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
heels up
he/she/it
Past simple
heeled up
yesterday
Past participle
heeled up
have + pp
-ing form
heeling up
continuous
Hear "heel up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "heel up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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