heart 
/ˈhɑɚt/ noun
plural hearts /ˈhɑɚt/ noun 1 [count] : the organ in your chest that pumps blood through your veins and arteries
▪ I could feel my heart pounding/racing. ▪ He has a bad/weak heart. — often used before another noun ▪ He suffers from a heart condition. ▪ heart failure/disease/surgery ▪ a heart murmur ▪ Aerobic exercise increases your heart rate. [=pulse] — see picture at human; see also coronary heart disease, open-heart 2 [count] : the front part of your chest
▪ He put his hand on his heart. ▪ (literary) She clutched the child to her heart. [=breast, bosom] 3 a [count] : the heart thought of as the place where emotions are felt
▪ You shouldn't let your heart rule your head. [=you should be guided by reason and not by your emotions] ▪ When she heard the news, her heart filled with joy/sorrow. ▪ You're a man after my own heart. [=we have similar likes and dislikes] ▪ He offered to help us out of the goodness of his heart. [=because he is a good person and not because he wanted to get anything for himself] ▪ He wears his heart on his sleeve. [=he shows his emotions very openly] ▪ She's not too smart, but at least her heart is in the right place. [=she is a kind person who is trying to do good things] ▪ I just didn't have the heart to tell her that I didn't like her singing. [=I couldn't tell her because I knew that she would be hurt by what I said] ▪ The idea struck fear into their hearts. [=made them very afraid] ▪ I decided to follow my heart [=to do what I truly wanted to do] and take up acting. ▪ My heart goes out to [=I feel very sorry for] the families of the victims. ▪ Her heart's desire [=greatest wish] was to become a movie star. ▪ She just couldn't find it in her heart to forgive them. ▪ I felt in my heart that our relationship was never meant to be. ▪ I think she knows in her heart that they're right. = I think she knows it in her heart of hearts. [=she knows it even though she does not want to admit it] ▪ They said they'd try to fix the problem, but I could see that their hearts (just) weren't in it. [=they did not really feel much interest or enthusiasm about doing it]
b : a kind or generous feeling for other people [noncount] ▪ a ruler without heart [count] ▪ a ruler without a heart ▪ He has a kind heart. [=he treats people kindly] ▪ He has a cold/hard heart. [=he treats people in a harsh or unfriendly way] ▪ She has a big heart. = She is all heart. = She has a heart of gold. [=she is a very kind person] ▪ She has a heart of stone. [=she does not care at all about the feelings of other people] ▪ Have a heart! Can't you see he needs help? — see also change of heart, heart-to-heart, lonely hearts 4 [noncount] : feelings of love or affection
▪ It's best not to interfere in matters/affairs of the heart. [=romantic matters/affairs] ▪ He was determined to win/steal/capture her heart. [=to win her love] 5 [noncount] : emotional strength that allows you to continue in a difficult situation
▪ The team has shown a lot of heart. 6 a the heart : the central or most important part of something
▪ deep in the heart of the forest ▪ Their offices are in the heart of the city. ▪ Let's get right to the heart of the matter.
b [count] : the central part of some vegetables
▪ artichoke hearts ▪ cabbage hearts 7 [count] : a shape that looks like a simple drawing of a heart and that is used as a symbol of love and affection
▪ The child decorated the card with hearts and flowers. 8 a [count] : a playing card that is marked with a red heart
▪ one heart, two diamonds, and two clubs — see picture at playing card
b hearts [plural] : the suit in a deck of playing cards that consists of cards marked by hearts
▪ the king of hearts — compare club, diamond, spade
▪ I could feel my heart pounding/racing. ▪ He has a bad/weak heart. — often used before another noun ▪ He suffers from a heart condition. ▪ heart failure/disease/surgery ▪ a heart murmur ▪ Aerobic exercise increases your heart rate. [=pulse] — see picture at human; see also coronary heart disease, open-heart
▪ He put his hand on his heart. ▪ (literary) She clutched the child to her heart. [=breast, bosom]
▪ You shouldn't let your heart rule your head. [=you should be guided by reason and not by your emotions] ▪ When she heard the news, her heart filled with joy/sorrow. ▪ You're a man after my own heart. [=we have similar likes and dislikes] ▪ He offered to help us out of the goodness of his heart. [=because he is a good person and not because he wanted to get anything for himself] ▪ He wears his heart on his sleeve. [=he shows his emotions very openly] ▪ She's not too smart, but at least her heart is in the right place. [=she is a kind person who is trying to do good things] ▪ I just didn't have the heart to tell her that I didn't like her singing. [=I couldn't tell her because I knew that she would be hurt by what I said] ▪ The idea struck fear into their hearts. [=made them very afraid] ▪ I decided to follow my heart [=to do what I truly wanted to do] and take up acting. ▪ My heart goes out to [=I feel very sorry for] the families of the victims. ▪ Her heart's desire [=greatest wish] was to become a movie star. ▪ She just couldn't find it in her heart to forgive them. ▪ I felt in my heart that our relationship was never meant to be. ▪ I think she knows in her heart that they're right. = I think she knows it in her heart of hearts. [=she knows it even though she does not want to admit it] ▪ They said they'd try to fix the problem, but I could see that their hearts (just) weren't in it. [=they did not really feel much interest or enthusiasm about doing it]
b : a kind or generous feeling for other people [noncount] ▪ a ruler without heart [count] ▪ a ruler without a heart ▪ He has a kind heart. [=he treats people kindly] ▪ He has a cold/hard heart. [=he treats people in a harsh or unfriendly way] ▪ She has a big heart. = She is all heart. = She has a heart of gold. [=she is a very kind person] ▪ She has a heart of stone. [=she does not care at all about the feelings of other people] ▪ Have a heart! Can't you see he needs help? — see also change of heart, heart-to-heart, lonely hearts
▪ It's best not to interfere in matters/affairs of the heart. [=romantic matters/affairs] ▪ He was determined to win/steal/capture her heart. [=to win her love]
▪ The team has shown a lot of heart.
▪ deep in the heart of the forest ▪ Their offices are in the heart of the city. ▪ Let's get right to the heart of the matter.
b [count] : the central part of some vegetables
▪ artichoke hearts ▪ cabbage hearts
▪ The child decorated the card with hearts and flowers.
▪ one heart, two diamonds, and two clubs — see picture at playing card
b hearts [plural] : the suit in a deck of playing cards that consists of cards marked by hearts
▪ the king of hearts — compare club, diamond, spade
absence makes the heart grow fonder — see absence
at heart 1 : at the most basic level
▪ I'm really a romantic at heart. ▪ She's 81 years old, but she's still young at heart. [=she behaves and thinks like a much younger person] 2 : as a main concern
▪ We have your best interests at heart. [=we want to do what is best for you]
▪ I'm really a romantic at heart. ▪ She's 81 years old, but she's still young at heart. [=she behaves and thinks like a much younger person]
▪ We have your best interests at heart. [=we want to do what is best for you]
break someone's heart
: to cause someone to feel great sorrow or sadness
▪ He broke her heart when he left her for another woman. ▪ Her boyfriend left her with a broken heart. ▪ It breaks my heart to think of how those children have suffered.
▪ He broke her heart when he left her for another woman. ▪ Her boyfriend left her with a broken heart. ▪ It breaks my heart to think of how those children have suffered.
by heart
: from memory
▪ She knows the entire poem by heart. [=she has learned the poem and can recite it from memory] ▪ He learned the speech by heart.
▪ She knows the entire poem by heart. [=she has learned the poem and can recite it from memory] ▪ He learned the speech by heart.
close/dear/near to your heart
: very personally and emotionally important to you
▪ This topic is one that's very close to my heart. [=I care very much about this subject] ▪ The school is very near and dear to her heart.
▪ This topic is one that's very close to my heart. [=I care very much about this subject] ▪ The school is very near and dear to her heart.
cross my heart — see 2cross
cry your heart out — see 1cry
do your heart good
: to make you feel very happy
▪ It does his heart good to know that his daughters have become friends.
▪ It does his heart good to know that his daughters have become friends.
eat your heart out — see eat
faint of heart — see 1faint
from the bottom of your heart or from the/your heart
: in a very sincere way
▪ He thanked us from the bottom of his heart. ▪ When I said you were my best friend, I meant it from the bottom of my heart. ▪ His speech at the memorial service was straight from the heart.
▪ He thanked us from the bottom of his heart. ▪ When I said you were my best friend, I meant it from the bottom of my heart. ▪ His speech at the memorial service was straight from the heart.
harden your heart — see harden
have your heart set on (something) or set your heart on (something)
◊When you have your heart set on something or when you set your heart on something, you want it very much.
▪ She has her heart set on a new bicycle.
▪ She has her heart set on a new bicycle.
heart in your mouth
informal ◊If your heart is in your mouth, you are very excited or nervous about something.
▪ He waited for her arrival with his heart in his mouth.
▪ He waited for her arrival with his heart in his mouth.
heart is knocking — see 1knock
heart skips a beat
informal ◊When you say that your heart skipped a beat or that something made your heart skip a beat, it means that you suddenly became very surprised, excited, or nervous about something.
▪ When I learned I was on live television, my heart skipped a beat. ▪ The news was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
▪ When I learned I was on live television, my heart skipped a beat. ▪ The news was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
heavy heart
: a feeling of sadness
▪ It is with a heavy heart that I bring you this bad news.
▪ It is with a heavy heart that I bring you this bad news.
know your own heart — see 1know
light heart
: a feeling of happiness
▪ He left for home with a light heart.
▪ He left for home with a light heart.
lose heart
: to begin to feel that you cannot do something that you have been trying to do : to become discouraged
▪ They never lost heart, even in the face of adversity.
▪ They never lost heart, even in the face of adversity.
lose your heart
: to fall in love with someone
▪ He met a beautiful woman and lost his heart. — usually + to ▪ She lost her heart to a dashing young artist.
▪ He met a beautiful woman and lost his heart. — usually + to ▪ She lost her heart to a dashing young artist.
open your heart 1 : to talk in a very open and honest way about your feelings
▪ He opened his heart (to her) and told her how he really felt. 2 : to begin to be generous and kind
▪ We should all open our hearts and do something to help those poor children.
▪ He opened his heart (to her) and told her how he really felt.
▪ We should all open our hearts and do something to help those poor children.
pour your heart out — see pour
sick at heart
: very sad and upset
▪ The idea of children suffering from hunger made him sick at heart.
▪ The idea of children suffering from hunger made him sick at heart.
sing/dance/play (etc.) your heart out
: to sing/dance/play (etc.) with great energy or effort
▪ The band played their hearts out in hopes of winning the prize.
▪ The band played their hearts out in hopes of winning the prize.
take heart
: to begin to feel better and more hopeful : to stop feeling sad or discouraged
▪ Take heart; things will get better soon.
▪ Take heart; things will get better soon.
take (something) to heart
: to be deeply affected or hurt by something
▪ He took their criticism (very much) to heart.
▪ He took their criticism (very much) to heart.
to your heart's content
: until you feel satisfied : as long or as much as you want
▪ They let him eat and drink to his heart's content. ▪ Let's go somewhere where we can talk to our hearts' content.
▪ They let him eat and drink to his heart's content. ▪ Let's go somewhere where we can talk to our hearts' content.
warm the cockles of your heart — see cockle
with all your heart
: in a very sincere and deeply felt way
▪ I love him with all my heart. ▪ She tried with all her heart to please them.
▪ I love him with all my heart. ▪ She tried with all her heart to please them.
your heart bleeds for
◊If your heart bleeds for someone, you feel great sadness or pity for that person.
your heart leaps
◊When your heart leaps, you become very happy or joyful about something.
▪ Our hearts leapt when we heard that she had won.
▪ Our hearts leapt when we heard that she had won.
your heart melts
◊When your heart melts, you begin to feel love, affection, or sympathy for someone or something.
▪ When he saw the puppies, his heart melted. ▪ It would have melted your heart to see her lying in that hospital bed. ▪ A warm smile melts the heart.
▪ When he saw the puppies, his heart melted. ▪ It would have melted your heart to see her lying in that hospital bed. ▪ A warm smile melts the heart.
your heart sinks
◊When your heart sinks, you become sad or disappointed about something.
▪ My heart sank when I saw the sad expression on her face.
▪ My heart sank when I saw the sad expression on her face.
