under one's heel

In one's power or control.

If one marriage partner always wants to keep the other person under his or her heel, it is not a happy or democratic arrangement and may lead to a divorce.

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Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

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to heel

[to heel] {adj. phr.} 1. Close behind. * /The dog ran after a rabbit, but Jack brought him to heel./ 2. Under control; to obedience. * /When Peter was sixteen, […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

heel

[heel] See: [AT ONE'S HEELS], [COOL ONE'S HEELS], [DOWN AT-THE-HEEL] or [DOWN-AT-HEEL], [DRAG ONE'S FEET] or [DRAG ONE'S HEELS], [HEAD OVER HEELS], [KICK UP ONE'S HEELS], [ON ONE'S HEELS] or […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

Achilles' heel

[Achilles' heel] {n. phr.}, {literary} A physical or psychological weakness named after the Greek hero Achilles who was invulnerable except for a spot on his heel. * /John's Achilles' heel […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

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[down-at-heel] or [down-at-the-heel] or [down-at-the-heels] {adj.} Poorly kept up or dressed shabby; not neat; sloppy. * /John is always down-at-the-heels, but his sister is always very neat./ * /Old houses […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

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