The prominence of the palm above the base of the thumb; the thenar eminence; the ball of the thumb. Sometimes applied to the corresponding part of the foot.
... the chief pressure is exerted by the heels (thenar and hypothenar eminences) of the hands, with the weight coming straight from the shoulders. It is a waste of energy to bend the arms at the elbows and shove in from the sides, because the muscles of the back are stronger than the ... — Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry • War Department
...
