Welcome to a journey into the realms of human emotion, where language paints the canvas of feelings and expressions. Today, we unravel the unique and vibrant tapestry of idioms for the heart.
Join me as we explore the depths of emotions, from wearing hearts on sleeves to experiencing a change of heart.
Idioms for Heart
Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Meaning: To openly display one’s emotions or feelings.
In a Sentence: She always wears her heart on her sleeve, expressing joy or sorrow without hesitation.
Break Someone’s Heart
Meaning: To cause someone intense emotional pain, typically by ending a relationship.
In a Sentence: He never intended to break her heart, but circumstances led to an unavoidable separation.
Cross My Heart
Meaning: A sincere promise or vow, often used to emphasize the truthfulness of a statement.
In a Sentence: I promise to keep your secret – cross my heart and hope to die.
Have a Change of Heart
Meaning: To change one’s opinion or feelings about a situation.
In a Sentence: Initially, he was against the idea, but after listening to the arguments, he had a change of heart.
Follow Your Heart
Meaning: To trust and act according to one’s feelings or intuition.
In a Sentence: When in doubt, it’s always best to follow your heart and make decisions true to yourself.
Learn by Heart
Meaning: To memorize something completely.
In a Sentence: She learned the poem by heart, reciting it flawlessly during the school assembly.
Steal Someone’s Heart
Meaning: To capture someone’s affection or love.
In a Sentence: His charming personality and warm smile managed to steal her heart in an instant.
Set Your Heart On
Meaning: To be determined to achieve or obtain something.
In a Sentence: She set her heart on becoming a professional dancer and worked tirelessly to achieve her dream.
Lose Heart
Meaning: To lose confidence or optimism.
In a Sentence: Despite facing numerous challenges, she refused to lose heart and continued pursuing her goals.
From the Bottom of One’s Heart
Meaning: A sincere and deeply felt expression.
In a Sentence: He thanked her from the bottom of his heart for the support during tough times.
Cold-Hearted
Meaning: Lacking compassion or empathy.
In a Sentence: His cold-hearted response to the plea for help shocked everyone in the room.
Warm-Hearted
Meaning: Kind, compassionate, and friendly.
In a Sentence: The warm-hearted community rallied together to support those affected by the natural disaster.
Take to Heart
Meaning: To consider something seriously or personally.
In a Sentence: Constructive criticism is difficult, but it’s essential to take it to heart for personal growth.
Close to Your Heart
Meaning: Something or someone that is deeply cherished and valued.
In a Sentence: Her grandmother’s antique necklace was always close to her heart, holding sentimental value.
Tug at the Heartstrings
Meaning: To evoke strong emotions, especially sadness or sympathy.
In a Sentence: The touching story of the rescue mission tugged at the heartstrings of everyone who heard it.
Heart of Gold
Meaning: A person who is exceptionally kind, generous, and good-hearted.
In a Sentence: Despite facing hardships, she retained a heart of gold, always helping those in need.
Win Someone’s Heart
Meaning: To make someone fall in love or become emotionally attached.
In a Sentence: His genuine gestures and sincerity helped him win her heart over time.
Eat Your Heart Out
Meaning: Feeling jealous or envious of someone else’s success or good fortune.
In a Sentence: As she accepted the award, she knew some would eat their hearts out over her achievement.
Young at Heart
Meaning: Remaining youthful and spirited, regardless of age.
In a Sentence: Even in her 60s, she remained young at heart, embracing life with enthusiasm.
Heavy Heart
Meaning: A feeling of deep sadness or sorrow.
In a Sentence: He approached the funeral with a heavy heart, mourning the loss of a dear friend.
Pour Your Heart Out
Meaning: To express one’s feelings or thoughts openly and emotionally.
In a Sentence: Feeling overwhelmed, she decided to pour her heart out to her closest friend.
Half-Hearted
Meaning: Lacking enthusiasm or commitment.
In a Sentence: The team’s half-hearted efforts were evident in their performance during the match.
In the Heart of the Matter
Meaning: At the core or central point of an issue.
In a Sentence: Let’s address the problems in the heart of the matter to find a lasting solution.
Heart Skips a Beat
Meaning: Experiencing a sudden, intense feeling, often romantic or thrilling.
In a Sentence: When he confessed his feelings, her heart skipped a beat with a mix of excitement and nervousness.
After Your Own Heart
Meaning: Sharing similar values, preferences, or qualities with someone.
In a Sentence: His passion for hiking and love for nature made him after her own heart.
Light-Hearted
Meaning: Cheerful and carefree in demeanor.
In a Sentence: They engaged in light-hearted banter, creating a joyful atmosphere in the room.
Bare Your Heart
Meaning: To reveal one’s deepest emotions or secrets.
In a Sentence: In moments of vulnerability, he decided to bare his heart, sharing his innermost fears and desires.
Have a Heart of Stone
Meaning: Lacking compassion or the ability to feel emotions.
In a Sentence: Despite the plea for mercy, the dictator seemed to have a heart of stone, unmoved by the suffering.
Change of Heart
Meaning: A reversal of one’s feelings, opinions, or intentions.
In a Sentence: After witnessing the impact of the charity work, he had a change of heart and decided to contribute.
Summary
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve | Openly display emotions or feelings. | She always wears her heart on her sleeve, expressing joy or sorrow without hesitation. |
| Break Someone’s Heart | Cause intense emotional pain, often by ending a relationship. | He never intended to break her heart, but circumstances led to an unavoidable separation. |
| Cross My Heart | Sincere promise or vow, emphasizing truthfulness. | I promise to keep your secret – cross my heart and hope to die. |
| Have a Change of Heart | Change one’s opinion or feelings about a situation. | Initially against the idea, he had a change of heart after listening to the arguments. |
| Follow Your Heart | Trust and act according to one’s feelings or intuition. | When in doubt, it’s always best to follow your heart and make decisions true to yourself. |
| Learn by Heart | Memorize something completely. | She learned the poem by heart, reciting it flawlessly during the school assembly. |
| Steal Someone’s Heart | Capture someone’s affection or love. | His charming personality and warm smile managed to steal her heart in an instant. |
| Set Your Heart On | Be determined to achieve or obtain something. | She set her heart on becoming a professional dancer and worked tirelessly to achieve her dream. |
| Lose Heart | Lose confidence or optimism. | Despite challenges, she refused to lose heart and continued pursuing her goals. |
| From the Bottom of One’s Heart | Sincere and deeply felt expression. | He thanked her from the bottom of his heart for the support during tough times. |
| Cold-Hearted | Lacking compassion or empathy. | His cold-hearted response to the plea for help shocked everyone in the room. |
| Warm-Hearted | Kind, compassionate, and friendly. | The warm-hearted community rallied together to support those affected by the natural disaster. |
| Take to Heart | Consider something seriously or personally. | Constructive criticism is difficult, but it’s essential to take it to heart for personal growth. |
| Close to Your Heart | Deeply cherished and valued. | Her grandmother’s antique necklace was always close to her heart, holding sentimental value. |
| Tug at the Heartstrings | Evoke strong emotions, especially sadness or sympathy. | The touching story of the rescue mission tugged at the heartstrings of everyone who heard it. |
| Heart of Gold | Exceptionally kind, generous, and good-hearted. | Despite hardships, she retained a heart of gold, always helping those in need. |
| Win Someone’s Heart | Make someone fall in love or become emotionally attached. | His genuine gestures and sincerity helped him win her heart over time. |
| Eat Your Heart Out | Feel jealous or envious of someone else’s success. | As she accepted the award, she knew some would eat their hearts out over her achievement. |
| Young at Heart | Remain youthful and spirited, regardless of age. | Even in her 60s, she remained young at heart, embracing life with enthusiasm. |
| Heavy Heart | Feel deep sadness or sorrow. | He approached the funeral with a heavy heart, mourning the loss of a dear friend. |
| Pour Your Heart Out | Express feelings or thoughts openly and emotionally. | Feeling overwhelmed, she decided to pour her heart out to her closest friend. |
| Half-Hearted | Lacking enthusiasm or commitment. | The team’s half-hearted efforts were evident in their performance during the match. |
| In the Heart of the Matter | At the core or central point of an issue. | Let’s address the problems in the heart of the matter to find a lasting solution. |
| Heart Skips a Beat | Experience a sudden, intense feeling, often romantic. | When he confessed his feelings, her heart skipped a beat with a mix of excitement and nervousness. |
| After Your Own Heart | Share similar values, preferences, or qualities. | His passion for hiking and love for nature made him after her own heart. |
| Light-Hearted | Cheerful and carefree in demeanor. | They engaged in light-hearted banter, creating a joyful atmosphere in the room. |
| Bare Your Heart | Reveal deepest emotions or secrets. | In moments of vulnerability, he decided to bare his heart, sharing his innermost fears and desires. |
| Have a Heart of Stone | Lack compassion or the ability to feel emotions. | Despite the plea for mercy, the dictator seemed to have a heart of stone, unmoved by the suffering. |
| Change of Heart | Reversal of one’s feelings, opinions, or intentions. | After witnessing the impact of the charity work, he had a change of heart and decided to contribute. |
Conclusion
As we conclude our journey through the vivid spectrum of heart idioms, it’s evident that the heart, both metaphorical and literal, plays a central role in our expressions of emotion.