1a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation. In vertebrates there may be up to four chambers (as in humans), with two atria and two ventricles.
the region of the chest above the heart:holding hand on heart for the Pledge of Allegiance
the heart regarded as the centre of a person’s thoughts and emotions, especially love or compassion:hardening his heart, he ignored her entreatieshe poured out his heart to me [mass noun]:he has no heart
[mass noun] one’s mood or feeling:they had a change of heartthey found him well and in good heart
[mass noun] courage or enthusiasm:they may lose heart as the work mounts upMary took heart from the encouragement handed out
2the central or innermost part of something:right in the heart of the city
the vital part or essence:the heart of the matter
the close compact head of a cabbage or lettuce.
3a conventional representation of a heart with two equal curves meeting at a point at the bottom and a cusp at the top.
(hearts) one of the four suits in a conventional pack of playing cards, denoted by a red heart-shaped figure.
a card of the suit of hearts.
(hearts) a card game similar to whist, in which players attempt to avoid taking tricks containing a card of the suit of hearts.
4 [usually with modifier] the condition of agricultural land as regards fertility:a well-maintained farm in good heart
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like very much; love:I totally heart this song
[from use of the symbol ♥, first popularized by the ‘I ♥ NY’ advertising campaign of the late 1970s]
after one's own heart
sharing one’s tastes or views:he looked like a man after my own heart
at heart
in one’s real nature, in contrast to how one may appear:he’s a good lad at heart
break someone's heart
overwhelm someone with sadness:it would break her heart to have to leave
by heart
from memory.
close (or dear) to (or near) one's heart
of deep interest and concern to one.
from the (bottom of one's) heart
with sincere feeling:their warmth and hospitality is right from the heart
give (or lose) one's heart to
fall in love with.
have a heart
[often in imperative] be merciful; show pity.
have a heart of gold
have a generous nature.
have the heart to do something
[usually with negative] be insensitive or hard-hearted enough to do something:I don’t have the heart to tell her
have (or put) one's heart in
be (or become) keenly involved in or committed to (an enterprise):he does not seem to have his heart in the role
have one's heart in one's mouth
be greatly alarmed or apprehensive.
have one's heart in the right place
be sincere or well intentioned.
heart of stone
a stern or cruel nature.
hearts and flowers
used in allusion to extreme sentimentality:hearts and flowers music
hearts and minds
used in reference to emotional and intellectual support or commitment:a campaign to win the hearts and minds of America’s college students
one's heart's desire
a person or thing that one greatly wishes for:he confided to me that his heart’s desire was really to pursue dentistry
one's heart sinks
used to express a feeling of sudden sadness or dismay:her heart sank as she thought of Craig
one's heartstrings
used in reference to one’s deepest feelings of love or compassion:the kitten’s pitiful little squeak tugged at her heartstrings
in one's heart of hearts
in one’s inmost feelings.
take something to heart
take criticism seriously and be affected or upset by it:he took Wilson’s criticism to heart
to one's heart's content (or delight)
to the full extent of one’s desires:the children could run and play to their heart’s contentin an older vehicle, you can ride around to your heart’s delight