hɑ:t n. 1 a
hollow muscular organ maintaining
the circulation of
blood by
rhythmic contraction and dilation. 2 the
region of the heart; the
breast. 3 a the heart regarded as the
centre of thought,
feeling, and
emotion (esp. love). b a person's
capacity for feeling emotion (has no heart). 4 a
courage or
enthusiasm (take heart;
lose heart). b one's mood or feeling (change of heart). 5 a the
central or innermost
part of
something. b the
vital part or
essence (the heart of the matter). 6 the close compact
head of a
cabbage,
lettuce, etc. 7 a a heart-shaped
thing. b a
conventional representation of a heart
with two equal curves
meeting at a
point at the
bottom and a
cusp at the top. 8 a a
playing-card of a
suit denoted by a
red figure of a heart. b (in pl.)
this suit. c (in pl.) a card-game in
which players
avoid taking tricks containing a card of this suit. 9
condition of
land as regards fertility (in
good heart). øafter one's
own heart
such as
one likes or desires. at heart 1 in one's
inmost feelings. 2 basically, essentially. break a person's heart
overwhelm a
person with
sorrow. by heart in or
from memory. close to (or near) one's heart 1
dear to one. 2 affecting one deeply. from the heart (or the bottom of one's heart)
sincerely, profoundly.
give (or lose) one's heart (often foll. by to)
fall in
love (with).
have a heart be
merciful. have the heart (usu. with
neg.; foll. by to + infin.) be
insensitive or
hard-hearted enough (didn't have the heart to
ask him). have (or put) one's heart in be keenly involved in or committed to (an
enterprise etc.). 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
attack a
sudden occurrence of
coronary thrombosis usu. resulting in the
death of part of a heart
muscle. heart
failure a
gradual failure of the heart to
function properly, resulting in breathlessness,
oedema, etc. heart-lung
machine a machine
that temporarily takes
over the functions of the heart and lungs,
esp. in
surgery. heart of
gold a
generous nature. heart of
oak a
courageous nature. heart of
stone a stern or
cruel nature. heart-rending
very distressing. heart-rendingly in a heart-rending
way. heart's-blood
lifeblood,
life. heart-searching the
thorough examination of one's own feelings and motives. heart to heart candidly, intimately. heart-to-heart adj. (of a
conversation etc.)
candid, intimate. --n. a candid or
personal conversation. heart-warming emotionally
rewarding or uplifting. in heart in good spirits. in one's heart of hearts in one's inmost feelings.
out of heart in low spirits.
take to heart be
much affected or
distressed by. to one's heart's content see
CONTENT(1). wear one's heart on one's
sleeve make one's feelings
apparent. with
all one's heart sincerely; with all
goodwill. with one's
whole heart with enthusiasm;
without doubts or reservations. øø-hearted adj. [OE heorte f. Gmc]