downattheheels
The phrasal adjective 'down-at-the-heels' is divided into four syllables: down-at-the-heels, with primary stress on 'heels'. Syllabification follows standard vowel-consonant and open/closed syllable rules. It's morphologically composed of a prefix, preposition, article, root, and suffix.
Definitions
- 1
In a poor or dilapidated condition; ruined or degraded.
“The old house looked down-at-the-heels after years of neglect.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the final syllable, 'heels'
Syllables
down — Open syllable, diphthongized vowel.. at — Closed syllable, short vowel.. the — Open syllable, schwa vowel.. heels — Closed syllable, long vowel, consonant blend.
Word Parts
Similar Words
Vowel-Consonant Rule
Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.
Open/Closed Syllable Rule
Syllables ending in a vowel sound are open; those ending in a consonant sound are closed.
Phrasal Boundary Rule
Each word in a phrasal adjective retains its original syllabification.
- Hyphenation is stylistic and doesn't affect syllabification.
- Regional pronunciation variations may affect vowel realization.
- Elision in rapid speech can blur syllable boundaries.
Nearby Words
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