Well-Heeled

By Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
United Kingdom
November 15, 2020 6:51am CST
I had occasion to call someone 'well-heeled' the other day, and then I wondered about the origins of that term. It actually comes from the barbaric sport of cockfighting which is deservedly illegal now. Cocks were fitted with steel spikes over their spurs (or heels) and the better these spikes were, the more chance they had of winning. They were referred to as being 'well heeled'. We use this term now for someone financially well equipped to deal with life. I enjoy coming across odd snippets of information and thought I'd pass this one on to you.
31 people like this
30 responses
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (56257)
• Canada
15 Nov 20
I have not heard of that expression until I read this.
3 people like this
Marlina
@marlina (154103)
• Canada
15 Nov 20
Same here
3 people like this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
Oh really Julia? I thought it was in common usage, I've heard it all my life.
2 people like this
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (56257)
• Canada
15 Nov 20
@jaboUK It sounded like you've heard it for a long time, but I have not heard of it until now. That is A good thing-one of the wonders of our site, always learning and sharing.
1 person likes this
DianneN
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
15 Nov 20
Very interesting. Here it means well to do.
3 people like this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
Yes, that's it's meaning here too.
2 people like this
DianneN
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
15 Nov 20
2 people like this
Go Crossbones
@crossbones27 (52905)
• Mojave, California
15 Nov 20
Hi, you write neat as always, miss you,write so neat.
3 people like this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
That's a nice thing to say, thank you.
3 people like this
Belle Starr (Iz)
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Nov 20
Well that is a great snippet I had never heard that before. Thank you
2 people like this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
It's great when we can learn something new, isn't it?
1 person likes this
Belle Starr (Iz)
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Nov 20
@jaboUK It is and somewhere down the road I will throw out this piece of trivia and have no idea where I got it from lol
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
@BelleStarr That's true
1 person likes this
JB_girl
@sol_cee (38669)
• Philippines
16 Nov 20
In here, people still hold cockfights
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
@sol_cee That's horrible.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
@sol_cee I would find that very annoying - I like to sleep in in the mornings as I go to bed very late.
1 person likes this
JB_girl
@sol_cee (38669)
• Philippines
16 Nov 20
@jaboUK my husband’s uncle has a lot of roosters and they serve as my alarm clock loll
1 person likes this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
15 Nov 20
That's an interesting term. I don't know if I've heard it before. It's good to know where it came from.
3 people like this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
Julia hadn't heard of it either - I've heard it all my life.
3 people like this
Shiva
@Shiva49 (28385)
• Singapore
15 Nov 20
@jaboUK That is commonly used in Asia
3 people like this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (117238)
• El Paso, Texas
15 Nov 20
I've only heard that term here on Mylot. I'm so happy that sport is illegal and that law enforcement can jail people who are cruel enough to engage in this activity.
1 person likes this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (117238)
• El Paso, Texas
15 Nov 20
Ricky's wife is Philippino and told Carol about that practice but said that a lot of the people there are against it @jaboUK
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
I've had a comment from someone in the Philippines and he says it still goes on there and is big business.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (502491)
• Italy
16 Nov 20
Thank you, that is interesting to know. I always try to find the origin of old sayings.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (502491)
• Italy
17 Nov 20
@jaboUK This is true, I am discovering some weird sayings in the local Ticinese dialect, some are funny.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
Glad you found it interesting Anna, some origins can be quite surprising, can't they?
1 person likes this
crazyhorseladycx
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
15 Nov 20
'tis 'lways a good day when ya learn somethin' new, e'en to find such originates from ugliness. 'nterestin' how such came to be. sadly there'd be laws 'gainst cockfightin' here'n the u.s., but like horse sorin' 'n other horrors, such's still done'n the shadows. humans're so cruel, massively twisted to think that causin' the deaths 'n 'njuries to innocent critters 'tis 'fun'.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
I agree 100%. It still goes on in the States? I know it does in the Philippines.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
@crazyhorseladycx There has been dog fighting here a while ago - it was on the news that they'd been caught and prosecuted. But who's to know how many aren't caught?
1 person likes this
crazyhorseladycx
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
15 Nov 20
@jaboUK sadly so, 'hind closed doors - jest's dog fightin''n other thingies folks've the audacity to call 'sport'.
1 person likes this
Susan
@HazySue (39265)
• Gouverneur, New York
16 Nov 20
It's a nice term with a terrible origin. I too love random pieces of information. Thanks for sharing the origin.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
You're welcome, it's good to share when we come across something interesting, isn't it?
1 person likes this
Susan
@HazySue (39265)
• Gouverneur, New York
16 Nov 20
@jaboUK It is good. I will have to get busy doing so too.
1 person likes this
Thelma
@thelme55 (79324)
• Germany
15 Nov 20
Thanks for the heads up. I didn´t know what it means before.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
You've heard of it though? Some of our American friends haven't.
1 person likes this
Thelma
@thelme55 (79324)
• Germany
15 Nov 20
@jaboUK Yes, I have. Maybe it is a British word.
1 person likes this
Hanni Harel
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
16 Nov 20
@jaboUK Thank you so much for sharing that information with us.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
I thought it interesting enough to pass on.
1 person likes this
Hanni Harel
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
16 Nov 20
@jaboUK Yes, it was very interesting and thank you once again.
1 person likes this
CarolDM
@CarolDM (203396)
• Nashville, Tennessee
15 Nov 20
You are a knowledge of wisdom. Thanks for sharing that tidbit. Very ineresting. And these types of people are very rare these days.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Nov 20
I'm pleased that this interested you, thanks Carol.
1 person likes this
CarolDM
@CarolDM (203396)
• Nashville, Tennessee
15 Nov 20
@jaboUK Your posts always do please.
1 person likes this
Kitycat
@KityCat (7739)
• India
19 Nov 20
Interesting... i would lovee to ssee it in action
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
20 Nov 20
I don't think you would, it's very cruel to the birds.
1 person likes this
Kitycat
@KityCat (7739)
• India
20 Nov 20
@jaboUK yes i think you are right. Not safe for the birds
1 person likes this
ShannyBananny
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Nov 20
Yikes never heard that term and sad the origin
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
A lot of people seem not to have heard the term but I've known it all my life.
1 person likes this
OceanTiara
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
22 Nov 20
Oh my I never knew that and how barbaric poor cocks.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
22 Nov 20
Yes, it's a horrible 'sport'.
Bojel
@jobelbojel (36796)
• Philippines
16 Nov 20
Thank you for sharing this. Added to my vocabulary.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 20
You're very welcome, thank you for reading it.
Sharon
@simone10 (54180)
• Louisville, Kentucky
27 Nov 20
I've not heard that expression before.
1 person likes this
Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
28 Nov 20
I was surprised at how many others have said the same. Perhaps it's more of a British expression.
Diana
@dya80dya (36805)
•
16 Nov 20
It's interesting. I wasn't aware of this.
1 person likes this
lily evans
@lilianharp (168)
•
15 Nov 20
well; I've heard this one before but didn't know it had something to do with cocks
1 person likes this
lily evans
@lilianharp (168)
•
15 Nov 20
@jaboUK yeah
1 person likes this