at heart

Idioms  

1. Fundamentally, basically, as in He's a good fellow at heart . It was first recorded in Alexander Pope's Epistle to a Lady (1735): “But every Woman is at heart a Rake.”

2. In one's deepest feelings, as a great concern, as in The governor has the party's best interests at heart . [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

Los Angeles and Tucson, Ariz. Despite many close friendships, especially with women, he was at heart a loner, conditioned, possibly, by clinical depression, for which he sought electroshock therapy even though it addled his brain.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I was a cowboy at heart even then, as I am to this day.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“He’s a soldier at heart that carries out his orders dutifully, and that makes him valuable to her.”

From The Wall Street Journal

When the BBC visited a monastery that had been at heart of Tibetan resistance in July last year, monks spoke of living under fear and intimidation.

From BBC

Jones told MPs these matters were "at heart of the police investigation".

From BBC