heart

[ hahrt ]

noun

1. Anatomy. a hollow, pumplike organ of blood circulation, composed mainly of rhythmically contractile smooth muscle, located in the chest between the lungs and slightly to the left and consisting of four chambers: a right atrium that receives blood returning from the body via the superior and inferior vena cavae, a right ventricle that pumps the blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs for oxygenation, a left atrium that receives the oxygenated blood via the pulmonary veins and passes it through the mitral valve, and a left ventricle that pumps the oxygenated blood, via the aorta, throughout the body.
2. Zoology.
   1. the homologous structure in other vertebrates, consisting of four chambers in mammals and birds and three chambers in reptiles and amphibians.
   2. the analogous contractile structure in invertebrate animals, as the tubular heart of the spider and earthworm.
3. the center of the total personality, especially with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion:

   In your heart you know I'm an honest man.

4. the center of emotion, especially as contrasted to the head as the center of the intellect:

   His head told him not to fall in love, but his heart had the final say.

5. capacity for sympathy; feeling; affection:

   His heart moved him to help people in need.

6. spirit, courage, or enthusiasm:

   His heart sank when he walked into the room and saw their gloomy faces.

7. the innermost or central part of anything:

   Notre Dame stands in the very heart of Paris.

8. the vital or essential part; core:

   the heart of the matter.

9. the breast or bosom:

   to clasp a person to one's heart.

10. a person (used especially in expressions of praise or affection):

    dear heart.

11. a conventional shape with rounded sides meeting in a point at the bottom and curving inward to a cusp at the top.
12. a red figure or pip of this shape on a playing card.
13. a card of the suit bearing such figures.
14. hearts,
    1. (used with a singular or plural verb) the suit so marked:

       Hearts is trump. Hearts are trump.

    2. (used with a singular verb) a game in which the players try to avoid taking tricks containing this suit.
15. Botany. the core of a tree; the solid central part without sap or albumen.
16. good condition for production, growth, etc., as of land or crops.
17. Also called core. Ropemaking. a strand running through the center of a rope, the other strands being laid around it.

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic.
   1. to fix in the heart.
   2. to encourage.
2. Informal. to like or enjoy very much; love:

   I heart Chicago.

heart

/ hɑːt /

noun

1. the hollow muscular organ in vertebrates whose contractions propel the blood through the circulatory system. In mammals it consists of a right and left atrium and a right and left ventricle cardiac
2. the corresponding organ or part in invertebrates
3. this organ considered as the seat of life and emotions, esp love
4. emotional mood or disposition

   a change of heart

   a happy heart

5. tenderness or pity

   you have no heart

6. courage or spirit; bravery
7. the inmost or most central part of a thing

   the heart of the city

8. the most important or vital part

   the heart of the matter

9. (of vegetables such as cabbage) the inner compact part
10. the core of a tree
11. the part nearest the heart of a person; breast

    she held him to her heart

12. a dearly loved person: usually used as a term of address

    dearest heart

13. a conventionalized representation of the heart, having two rounded lobes at the top meeting in a point at the bottom
14. 1. a red heart-shaped symbol on a playing card
    2. a card with one or more of these symbols or ( when pl. ) the suit of cards so marked
15. a fertile condition in land, conducive to vigorous growth in crops or herbage (esp in the phrase in good heart )
16. after one's own heart
    appealing to one's own disposition, taste, or tendencies
17. at heart
    in reality or fundamentally
18. break one's heart or break someone's heart
    to grieve or cause to grieve very deeply, esp through love
19. by heart
    by committing to memory
20. cross my heart! or cross my heart and hope to die!
    I promise!
21. eat one's heart out
    to brood or pine with grief or longing
22. from one's heart or from the bottom of one's heart
    very sincerely or deeply
23. have a heart!
    be kind or merciful
24. have one's heart in it
    usually used with a negative to have enthusiasm for something
25. have one's heart in one's boots
    to be depressed or down-hearted
26. have one's heart in one's mouth or have one's heart in one's throat
    to be full of apprehension, excitement, or fear
27. have one's heart in the right place
    1. to be kind, thoughtful, or generous
    2. to mean well
28. have the heart
    usually used with a negative to have the necessary will, callousness, etc (to do something)

    I didn't have the heart to tell him

29. heart and soul
    absolutely; completely
30. heart of hearts
    the depths of one's conscience or emotions
31. heart of oak
    a brave person
32. in one's heart
    secretly; fundamentally
33. lose heart
    to become despondent or disillusioned (over something)
34. lose one's heart to
    to fall in love with
35. near to one's heart or close to one's heart
    cherished or important
36. set one's heart on
    to have as one's ambition to obtain; covet
37. take heart
    to become encouraged
38. take to heart
    to take seriously or be upset about
39. to one's heart's content
    as much as one wishes
40. wear one's heart on one's sleeve
    to show one's feelings openly
41. with all one's heart or with one's whole heart
    very willingly

verb

1. intr (of vegetables) to form a heart
2. an archaic word for hearten

heart

/ härt /

1. The hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood through the body of a vertebrate animal by contracting and relaxing. In humans and other mammals, it has four chambers, consisting of two atria and two ventricles. The right side of the heart collects blood with low oxygen levels from the veins and pumps it to the lungs. The left side receives blood with high oxygen levels from the lungs and pumps it into the aorta, which carries it to the arteries of the body. The heart in other vertebrates functions similarly but often has fewer chambers.
2. A similar but simpler organ in invertebrate animals.

heart

1. The hollow muscular organ that is the center of the circulatory system . The heart pumps blood throughout the intricate system of blood vessels in the body.

Word History and Origins

Origin of heart¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English herte, Old English heorte; cognate with Dutch hart, German Herz, Old Norse hjarta, Gothic hairtō; akin to Latin cor ( cordial none, courage none ), Greek kardía ( cardio- none ); heart def 19 comes from the use of the stylized heart symbol to represent love

Word History and Origins

Origin of heart¹

Old English heorte; related to Old Norse hjarta, Gothic hairtō, Old High German herza, Latin cor, Greek kardia, Old Irish cride

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. after one's own heart, in keeping with one's taste or preference:

   There's a man after my own heart!

2. at heart, in reality; fundamentally:

   At heart she is a romantic.

3. break someone's heart, to cause someone great disappointment or sorrow, as to disappoint in love:

   The news that their son had been arrested broke their hearts.

4. by heart, by memory; word-for-word:

   They knew the song by heart.

5. cross one's heart, to maintain the truth of one's statement; affirm one's integrity:

   That's exactly what they told me, I cross my heart!

6. do someone's heart good, to give happiness or pleasure to; delight:

   It does my heart good to see you again.

7. eat one's heart out, to have jealousy, longing, or sorrow dominate one's emotions (often used in the imperative and with jocular reference to a famous potential rival):

   My baby is a genius—Einstein, eat your heart out!

   He’s eating his heart out over his defeat.

8. from the bottom of one's heart, with complete sincerity. Also from one's heart, from the heart.
9. have a heart, to be compassionate or merciful:

   Please have a heart and give her another chance.

10. have at heart, to have as an object, aim, or desire:

    to have another's best interests at heart.

11. have one's heart in one's mouth, to be very anxious or fearful:

    He wanted to do the courageous thing, but his heart was in his mouth.

12. have one's heart in the right place, to be fundamentally kind, generous, or well-intentioned:

    The old gentleman may have a stern manner, but his heart is in the right place.

13. heart and soul, enthusiastically; fervently; completely:

    They entered heart and soul into the spirit of the holiday.

14. in one's heart of hearts, in one's private thoughts or feelings; deep within one: Also in one's heart.

    He knew, in his heart of hearts, that the news would be bad.

15. lose one's heart to, to fall in love with:

    He lost his heart to the prima ballerina.

16. near / dear / close to one's heart, of great interest or concern to one:

    It is a cause that is very near to his heart.

17. not have the heart, to lack the necessary courage or callousness to do something:

    No one had the heart to tell him he was finished as an actor.

18. pour out one's heart, to reveal one's thoughts or private feelings: Also open one's heart.

    She poured out her heart to me.

19. set one's heart against, to be unalterably opposed to: Also have one's heart set against.

    She had set her heart against selling the statue.

20. set one's heart at rest, to dismiss one's anxieties:

    She couldn't set her heart at rest until she knew he had returned safely.

21. set one's heart on, to wish for intensely; determine on: Also have one's heart set on.

    She has set her heart on going to Europe after graduation.

22. take heart, to regain one's courage; become heartened:

    Her son's death was a great blow, but she eventually took heart, convinced that she could go on.

23. take / lay to heart,
    1. to think seriously about; concern oneself with:

       He took to heart his father's advice.

    2. to be deeply affected by; grieve over:

       She was prone to take criticism too much to heart.

24. to one's heart's content, until one is satisfied; as much or as long as one wishes:

    The children played in the snow to their heart's content.

25. wear one's heart on one's sleeve,
    1. to make one's intimate feelings or personal affairs known to all:

       She was not the kind who would wear her heart on her sleeve.

    2. to be liable to fall in love; fall in love easily:

       How lovely to be young and wear our hearts on our sleeves!

26. with all one's heart,
    1. with earnestness or zeal.
    2. with willingness; cordially:

       She welcomed the visitors with all her heart.

27. my heart is full. my heart is full ( def ).

More idioms and phrases containing heart

• absence makes the heart grow fonder
• after one's own heart
• at heart
• break someone's heart
• by heart
• change of heart
• cold hands, warm heart
• cross my heart
• cry one's eyes (heart) out
• cut to the quick (heart)
• do one (one's heart) good
• eat one's heart out
• find it in one's heart
• from the bottom of one's heart
• get to the heart of
• give someone heart failure
• half a heart
• harden one's heart
• have a heart
• have no heart for
• heavy heart
• in one's heart of hearts
• lose heart
• lose one's heart to
• near to one's heart
• not have the heart to
• open one's heart
• pour out one's heart
• set one's heart on
• sick at heart
• steal someone's heart
• steel one's heart against
• take heart
• take to heart
• to one's heart's content
• warm heart
• warm the cockles of one's heart
• wear one's heart on one's sleeve
• with all one's heart
• young at heart

Example Sentences

Even after he won the Nobel Prize in Literature, Gabriel García Márquez sometimes described himself as a lover of film, and particularly Latin America film, at heart.

From New York Times

That followed a campaign by the family of Oliver King from Liverpool, who died from a rare heart condition during a school swimming lesson in 2011.

From BBC

We always knew it would have R-rated jokes and violence but was going to stay fundamentally humanist and hopeful in its heart.

From Los Angeles Times

If Hollywood really wants to make a comeback, it needs to take this lesson to heart: If you want to sell a bunch of tickets and popcorn, families are the ultimate consumer group.

From Los Angeles Times

“To be here eight years later with these signs,” Ms. Bartek said during a recent protest in Washington, “it breaks my heart.”

From Salon

Related Words

• center
• core
• focus
• middle
• root
• soul