Twenty Five Idioms about the Heart

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With Valentine’s Day just days away, this week we’re looking at idioms that concern the heart. Click here to read last year’s Valentine’s Day post.

  1. “Eat your heart out!” – an expression used to tell someone you think they will experience jealousy, regret, or anguish
     
  2. From the bottom of my heart – with utmost sincerity (and usually regret)
     
  3. “Have a heart!” – “Show some pity!”, “Try and be sympathetic!”
     
  4. Heart and soul – energy, enthusiasm
     
  5. In a heartbeat – immediately
     
  6. “My heart bleeds for/goes out to…” – “I feel very sorry for/sympathetic towards…”
     
  7. To find it in your heart to do something – to summon up willingness to do something
     
  8. To follow your heart – to act according to your emotions and desires and not necessarily in the most rational, sensible way
     
  9. To get to the heart of something – to understand the central, most essential aspect of something
     
  10. To have a change of heart – to change your mind
     
  11. To have a heart of gold/stone – to be generous and kind/cold and cruel
     
  12. To have a heart to heart – to have an intimate conversation
     
  13. To have your heart miss/skip a beat – to be startled or surprised
     
  14. To have your heart in the right place – to be well intentioned
     
  15. To have your heart set against something – to be against something
     
  16. To have your heart set on something – to want something very much
     
  17. To know in your heart of hearts – to know something as true despite not wanting to believe it
     
  18. To know/learn something off by heart – to know something from memory/to memorise something
     
  19. To lose heart – to give up, to feel discouraged, to lose hope
     
  20. To not have your heart in something – to not really want to do something
     
  21. To pour your heart out – to vent your feelings
     
  22. To take something to heart – to take something seriously (and usually with offence)
     
  23. To tug at someone’s heartstrings – to appeal to someone’s emotions, to make someone feel sad, guilty, and/or sympathetic
     
  24. To wear your heart on your sleeve – to openly express your feelings
     
  25. With a heavy heart – with sorrow and regret

We’d love to hear about your 2015 spelling goals – whether you’re setting them as an individual, family, or school. Let us know how you’re getting on in the comments, or on Facebook or Twitter. Don’t forget to use #Spellzone2015.


09 Feb 2015
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"Thank goodness for Spellzone during this remote learning phase. The site is easy for students to navigate independently and they're really enjoying the activities and spelling games. You get an awful lot for your money with Spellzone. Really reassuring is the very prompt response with helpdesk queries. I've very rarely needed the helpdesk, but when I have, the issue has been addressed and sorted within a very short time."

Sarah Taggart, Oasis Academy Lord's Hill