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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