have a heart attack

have a heart attack

1. To experience a sudden disruption in the heart's normal functioning, as due to an obstructed coronary artery. Dad's had a heart attack—get to the hospital as soon as you can! I'm worried that she's going to have a heart attack from the amount of stress she's been under at work lately.
2. By extension, to have a particularly frightening, jarring, or anxious experience. The sight of that car coming at me almost gave me a heart attack. Josh just about gave me a heart attack when he jumped out of the closet.
See also: attack, have, heart
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • heart attack
  • give (one) a heart attack
  • be out of fix
  • out of fix
  • be up and down
  • up and down
  • up and down (something)
  • since when
  • Since when?
  • control the purse strings