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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread down-at-the-heel #123710 02/23/2004 4:35 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 Date: Thu Dec 17 00:04:27 EST 1998 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--down-at-the-heel down-at-heel (doun-at-HEEL) or down-at-the-heel adjective 1. Worn out from long use or neglect; dilapidated. 2. Shabbily dressed because of poverty; seedy. A really obsolete phrase. When making a pair of shoes took several hours of a skilled craftsman's time, shoes were expensive, and worn as long as possible. The heels of shoes wear faster than the soles, and the wear is more readily noticed. Shoe are mass-produced now, and relatively cheap. Today few people betray their poverty by the condition of their shoes. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: down-at-the-heel #123711 02/23/2004 4:40 PM Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont and down-at-the-mouth? is that from eating ducks? formerly known as etaoin... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: down-at-the-heel #123712 02/23/2004 4:51 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 Dear etaoin: My father's Chesapeake Bay Retriever was so soft mouthed he didn't mar any down. What a dog he was. When I was small, the minute I got into the water up to my knees, he'd come grab me by the seat of my bathing suit, and drag me back up onto the beach. He knew I couldn't swim. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: down-at-the-heel #123713 02/25/2004 5:28 AM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta Bingley Carpal Tunnel Bingley Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta I know this much better as down-at-heel, with no 'the'. Bingley Bingley Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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