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lay by the heels. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
lay by the heels, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
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English
Verb
lay by the heels (third-person singular simple present lays by the heels, present participle laying by the heels, simple past and past participle laid by the heels)
- (dated, idiomatic) To fetter, to shackle; to imprison.
1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :As I live,
If the king blame me for 't, I'll lay ye all
By the heels , and suddenly; and on your heads
Clap round fines , for neglect
1668 November 2 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “October 23rd, 1668”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys , volume VIII, London: George Bell & Sons ; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1896, →OCLC, page 129:[M]y Lord Chief Justice Keeling hath laid the constable by the heels to answer it next Sessions: which is a horrid shame.
1714 June 1 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 44. Friday, May 21. ”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; , volume IV, London: Jacob Tonson, , published 1721, →OCLC:I […] could not but wonder that none of the Middlesex justices took care to lay some of them by the heels.
1903, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Empty House:I read the papers with some attention during my sojourn in France, on the look-out for any chance of laying him by the heels.
1904, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Six Napoleons:If you will come with us to-night I shall be able to help you to lay him by the heels.