definition of 

heart

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90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing.These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are morefrequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

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noun  /hɑː(r)t/ 

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singular	heart
plural	hearts

phrases

• at heart

  used for saying what someone’s basic character is

  I’m really a country person at heart.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: more

• be in good heart

  British
  to be feeling happy and hopeful

  Investors are still in good heart, despite recent stock market falls.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: rejoice in, brighten, treasure, look forward to, thrive on... more

• close/dear/near to someone’s heart

  very important or interesting to someone

  a topic that is obviously very close to his heart

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: important, major, key, vital, crucial... more

• do someone’s heart good

  mainly literary
  to make someone feel happy

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: please, excite, hearten, uplift, fulfil... more

• have something at heart

  to be influenced in your actions by something that you really care about

  Real dog lovers always have the dog’s welfare at heart.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: value, respect, appreciate, prize, attach importance/significance/value/weight to something... more

• have a heart

  spoken
  used for asking someone to be more reasonable, because they are asking you to do something that is too difficult or unpleasant

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: I wish, go for it, don’t hesitate to do something, come on, (do you) understand?... more

• have a heart of gold

  to be a very kind person

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: gentle, nice, sensitive, generous, warm... more

• have a heart of stone

  to not feel any sympathy for other people

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: manage, suppress, deal with, master, hold in... more

• have your heart set on (doing) something

  or set your heart on (doing) something

  to decide that you want something very much

  He’s got his heart set on winning the competition.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: want, wish, hope, look for, long... more

• my heart bleeds (for someone)

  spoken
  used for saying that you feel sympathy for someone. This phrase is usually used in a humorous way to show that, in fact, you do not feel any sympathy at all.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: bad/hard/tough luck, too bad, tough shit, tough... more

• someone’s heart goes out to someone

  used for saying that someone feels sorry for someone else

  My heart goes out to the parents who lost their loved ones.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: bad/hard/tough luck, (oh,) what a shame, too bad, I know the feeling, bless him/her/them... more

• someone’s heart is in the right place

  used for saying that someone tries to be kind and do good things even though it does not always seem like this

  His heart’s in the right place but he’s a bit mixed up.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: gentle, nice, sensitive, generous, warm... more

• someone’s heart is not in something

  used for saying that someone does not really care about something that they are doing

  Her heart was no longer in the campaign.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: bored, restless, apathetic, unenthusiastic, world-weary... more

• someone’s heart leaps/jumps/quickens

  used for saying that someone suddenly feels excited, nervous, or afraid

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: thrill, exult, swoon, crackle, go mad... more

• someone’s heart pounds/beats/thumps

  used for saying that someone can feel their heart moving quickly because they are very excited or afraid

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: more

• someone’s heart’s desire

  literary
  the thing that someone really wants

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: wants, wish, the goods, all someone wants, wish list... more

• someone’s heart sinks

  used for saying that someone suddenly feels very worried, upset, or disappointed

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: I dread to think, if anything happens to someone, what has/will become of, someone’s (worst) fears were realized, I’d hate (for) someone/something to do something... more

• in someone’s heart (of hearts)

  used for talking about true or secret feelings

  In his heart he knew she was right.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: secret, secretive, surreptitious, clandestine, in secret... more

• lose your heart (to someone)

  literary
  to start to love someone

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: love, care for, adore, dote on, fall in love... more

• a man/woman after your own heart

  someone who has the same opinions as you on a particular subject

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: copy, equivalent, parallel, approximation, match... more

• not have the heart to do something

  to not be able to do something, because it seems cruel

  I didn’t have the heart to tell him what I really thought.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: disinclination, shy away, repel, baulk, deign... more

• (off) by heart

  if you know something by heart, you can remember all the words in it without any help

  We learned long passages of poetry off by heart.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: more

• open your heart

  or pour out your heart

  to tell someone everything that you are thinking about, especially something that has made you unhappy

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: begin, bring up, continue, go on, get out... more

• play/work/sing etc your heart out

  to put a lot of effort into playing, working, singing etc

  The children all sang their hearts out.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: work at, forge, overwork, slave, apply yourself... more

• put your heart into something

  to do something with a lot of effort

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: work, strive, try, attempt, struggle... more

• sob/cry your heart out

  to cry a lot, because you are very upset

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: cry, cry, burst out, dissolve into, weep... more

• (straight) from the heart

  being completely honest about your feelings

  She wrote me a letter straight from the heart.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: honest, sincere, fine, genuine, decent... more

• take heart (from something)

  to feel happier or less worried because of something

  The team took heart from an honourable draw.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: rejoice in, brighten, treasure, look forward to, thrive on... more

• take something to heart

  to think about something seriously, often so that you become upset by it

  You can’t take everything people say to heart.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: consider, plan, think out, assess, contemplate... more

• touch someone’s heart

  to make someone feel sympathy

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: affect, provoke, inspire, invoke, awaken... more

• to your heart’s content

  as much or as often as you like

  You can wander around the estate to your heart’s content.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: furious, madly, with gusto, with all your might, a big smile/kiss/hug etc... more

• warm/gladden someone’s heart

  mainly literary
  to make someone feel happy

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: please, excite, hearten, uplift, fulfil... more

• the way to someone’s heart

  the way to make someone love you

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: ask out, flirt, chat up, pair off, chase... more

• wear/have your heart on your sleeve

  to make your feelings obvious to other people

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: show, display, manifest, express yourself, make no secret of something... more

• someone will break a few hearts

  spoken
  a way of saying that someone is very attractive

  I bet he’ll break a few hearts when he’s older.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: attractive, charming, elegant, lovable, engaging... more

• win/capture/steal someone’s heart

  mainly literary
  to make someone start to love you

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: ask out, flirt, chat up, pair off, chase... more

• with a heavy heart

  mainly literary
  feeling sad

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: sad, unhappy, gloomy, sombre, melancholy... more

• with all your heart (and soul)

  literary
  used for emphasizing that a feeling is very strong

  She wished with all her heart that he would come.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: more

• (with) your heart in your mouth

  feeling very nervous or afraid

  She picked up the phone, her heart in her mouth.

  Synonyms or related words for this meaning of heart: afraid, frightened, scared, alarmed, fearful... more