Amusing English # 29 - Heart of the Matter

Since ancient times, the heart has been an integral part of life, love and lore. In fact think of love and the first symbol that comes to mind is a red heart.  Naturally the heart has been the subject of and the inspiration for hundreds of songs and thousands of poems, which has helped millions to ‘win the hearts’ of the ones that they have ‘given their hearts’ to.

What is interesting is that the English language too is indebted to the heart. Of the 400 or so phrases related to the human body, the heart pumps life into more than 50 of them.

Here are some heart-y phrases with their meaning. Of course the list is not all-inclusive.

1. A heart of gold – good-natured, caring, forgiving.
2. A heart of stone – cruel, ruthless, without feeling.
3. Absence makes the heart grow fonder – not being with someone or something makes it more desirable (Francis Davidson's Poetical Rhapsody, 1602).
4. After one’s own heart – someone liked for having similar feelings, interests or ideas.
5. An affair of the heart – to be in love and not just be attracted physically.
6. As tender as a mother’s heart – very kind.
7. At heart – in actuality.
8. Be still my heart – asking oneself to not get too excited.
9. Big hearted – kind and generous.
10. Break one’s heart – someone or something that makes one sad.
11. Change of heart – change in the way one thinks or feels.
12. Cold hands warm heart – a kind hearted person but with a reserved exterior.
13. Cross my heart and hope to die – to promise that what one has said is true.
14. Cry / eat / sob your heart out – grieve hopelessly.
15. Dagger in the heart – create a feeling of defeat or hopelessness.
16. Faint heart never won fair lady – one should not be timid in the matter of love (and even life).
17. From the bottom of my heart – with a lot of sincerity.
18. Get to the heart of the matter – figure out the most important thing about something.
19. Give heart to – fall in love with.
20. Harden your heart – to make immune one’s feelings.
21. Have a heart – to request someone to be kind.
22. Heart breaker – someone or something that makes you sad.
23. Heart goes out to – feels sorry for.
24. Heart is in the right place – kind-hearted.
25. Heart rending – causing grief.
26. Heart stands still – be very frightened or worried.
27. Heartthrob – sweetheart.
28. Heart to heart talk – talk about some serious and intimate matter in great detail.
29. Heart warming – very pleasing.
30. Heart's delight – to one's satisfaction.
31. Heavy heart – weighed down with sorrow.
32. Learn by heart – memorize.
33. Lose heart – feel discouraged because of failure.
34. Lose your heart – fall in love.
35. Melt the heart – get sentimental.
36. My heart bleeds – be very sad.
37. Near and dear to my heart / near to one's heart – very close to one.
38. Open one’s heart – talk honestly about one’s feelings to someone.
39. Put your heart into – do something with great enthusiasm.
40. Search one’s heart – try and discover the reason for our thoughts and actions.
41. Set one’s heart on – resolve to get or achieve something important.
42. Skip a beat – be startled due to surprise or fear.
43. Steal someone's heart – make someone fall in love with.
44. Sweetheart – the one that you love.
45. Take heart – be encouraged and try again.
46. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach – an old saying probably from the time when women looked after the house and to be able to cook well was important to get a good husband.
47. Tugging at heartstrings – playing on one’s emotions.
48. Warms the cockles of my heart – someone or something that delights, comforts, warms and brings a sentimental feeling.
49. Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeves – show one’s feelings openly without fear or embarrassment (origin: from ancient times when a young man pursuing a girl would assert his love for her by wearing her name on his sleeve).
50. Win the heart of – win the love / affection of.
51. With all my heart – with great sincerity.
52. Young at heart – to be youthful & zestful, irrespective of age.
 

Cheers!