heart-to-heart

[ hahrt-tuh-hahrt ]

adjective

1. frank; sincere:

   We had a heart-to-heart talk about his poor attendance.

noun

1. Informal. a frank talk, especially between two persons.

heart-to-heart

adjective

1. (esp of a conversation or discussion) concerned with personal problems or intimate feelings

noun

1. an intimate conversation or discussion

Word History and Origins

Origin of heart-to-heart¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Idioms and Phrases

Candidly, sincerely, as in We need to talk heart to heart about her coming marriage . This expression is nearly always applied to a conversation of some kind. [Mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

Reynolds wrote an agony column, “Susan Chester Heart-to-Heart Letters,” for the Brooklyn Eagle.

From The Daily Beast

Thought I'd wait until you were done and we could have a little heart-to-heart behind your closed door.

From The Daily Beast

They had been hanging over the low balustrade, engaged in a heart-to-heart talk with two pretty Quartier brunettes.

From Project Gutenberg

They had a heart-to-heart talk presently, with the result that Mark Twain was free.

From Project Gutenberg

The longing for a real heart-to-heart friendship had been on one side only; that was the first, and most petrifying revelation.

From Project Gutenberg

I've realised it since a heart-to-heart talk old Con forced me to have with him a fortnight before we sailed.

From Project Gutenberg

He must go to Monteverde, give him a good, heart-to-heart lecture, so that he would be good and not make her suffer.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• chatter
• conversation
• gossip