Dictionary

dig in one's heels en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From firmly placing one’s heels in the ground, particularly in tug of war (pulling) or when bracing oneself (pushing). Compare drag one's feet (“act slowly, from lack of enthusiasm or to delay”).

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To act in a determined manner by firmly maintaining one's beliefs, demands, situation, etc. in the face of opposition or cajoling.
   • What we want are more women of combined business efficiency and integrity to get into public life and dig in their heels against the forces of war, lust, and injustice. 1938 July 16, Jean Kelvin, “The Tug of War”, in Glasgow Herald, retrieved 18 Jul 2011, page 8:
   • [T]he teachers' unions are still pretty much digging in their heels on the tenure issue. 2011 January 27, Andrew J. Rotherham, “Fixing Teacher Tenure Without a Pass-Fail Grade”, in Time:
   • Margaret Thatcher tried to do it again, digging in her heels, lecturing archly on her achievements, illuminating our European partners on the superior virtue of her ways. 1989 June 28, Flora Lewis, “Foreign Affairs: Maggie on the Beach”, in New York Times, retrieved 18 Jul 2011:

Forms

Coordinates

drag one's feet · drag one's heels

Relateds

dig one's heels in

Synonyms

plant one's feet

Translations (13)

fr freiner des quatre fers (to act in a determined manner) · it impuntarsi (to act in a determined manner) · es empecinarse (to act in a determined manner) · es enrocarse (to act in a determined manner) · nl het been stijf houden (to act in a determined manner) · pl zaprzeć się (to act in a determined manner) · it incaponirsi (to act in a determined manner) · kea finka pe (to act in a determined manner) · pt fincar o pé (to act in a determined manner) · ru упере́ться ро́гом (to act in a determined manner) · it puntare i piedi (to act in a determined manner) · es mantenerse en sus trece (to act in a determined manner) · pl zapierać się (to act in a determined manner)