Cruise Arizona Posted September 11, 2005 #1 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Read and article in Cruise Travel magazine today that described passengers as " Well Heeled". I think this means they wear expensive clothes, but I'm not sure. Can anyone fill me in on what this means and the origins of the expression? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane110 Posted September 12, 2005 #2 Share Posted September 12, 2005 This is from http://www.wordreference.com well-heeled A adjective 1 comfortable, easy, prosperous, well-fixed, well-heeled, well-off, well-situated, well-to-do in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich; "they were comfortable or even wealthy by some standards"; "easy living"; "a prosperous family"; "his family is well-situated financially"; "well-to-do members of the community" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane110 Posted September 12, 2005 #3 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Here's the origin from http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-wel1.htm [Q] From Michael McKinney: “Any interesting tidbits about the expression well heeled?” [A] Well-heeled never had anything to do with people being well shod (so it has no link with down at heel). The original expression came from cock-fighting, and meant to provide one’s bird with good, sharp spurs (considered, it would seem, as a kind of artificial heel) that would inflict the most damage. It was taken over into American usage in frontier days to mean that one was likewise carrying a weapon, but in the more modern sense of a gun (the first recorded use is from a story of Mark Twain’s dated 1866). Only later did it transfer its meaning to being armed with a more powerful weapon still: money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Arizona Posted September 12, 2005 Author #4 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Thanks, I'm glad I asked the question, I had a general idea of what it meant, but was a little off on the origins. I too thought it went back to the day when only the wealthy had nice shoes, but it indeed has a completely different origin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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