lay by the heels

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)

1. (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[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:

     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. [1714.]”, 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.