near

Related to near: Near field, Near Death experiences, Near death, Near Field Communication

near to (one's) heart

Personally important to, or loved by, someone. That old dog is very near to my heart.
See also: heart, near
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

near

/close to (one's) heart
Loved by or important to one.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See:
  • a close thing
  • a close/near thing
  • a near miss
  • a near thing
  • as near as dammit
  • at hand
  • be close to (one's) heart
  • be close to/near the mark
  • be close/dear/near to somebody's heart
  • be near the knuckle
  • be near to (one's) heart
  • be near to impossible
  • close to (one's) heart
  • close to/near the bone
  • death's door, at/near
  • don't go near the water until you learn how to swim
  • draw near
  • draw near to
  • far and near
  • from far and near
  • from near and far
  • go near
  • go near (someone or something)
  • have a near miss
  • in the near future
  • longest way round is the shortest way home
  • near
  • near and dear to (one)
  • near and far
  • near at hand
  • near beer
  • near enough
  • near miss
  • near post
  • near the knuckle
  • near the mark
  • near the wind
  • near thing
  • near to (one's) heart
  • near to hand
  • near to impossible
  • near to one's heart
  • near-beer
  • nearest and dearest
  • not anything like
  • not anywhere near
  • nowhere near
  • nowhere/not anywhere near
  • pert near, but not plumb
  • sail close to (near) the wind, to
  • sail near the wind
  • so near (and) yet so far
  • so near and yet so far
  • the longest way round is the nearest way home
  • your nearest and dearest
References in classic literature
The dismal night wore away amidst these horrors: as the day dawned, Weekes found himself near the land.
That which gave me most uneasiness among these maids of honour(when my nurse carried me to visit then) was, to see them use me without any manner of ceremony, like a creature who had no sort of consequence: for they would strip themselves to the skin, and put on their smocks in my presence, while I was placed on their toilet, directly before their naked bodies, which I am sure to me was very far from being a tempting sight, or from giving me any other emotions than those of horror and disgust: their skins appeared so coarse and uneven, so variously coloured, when I saw them near, with a mole here and there as broad as a trencher, and hairs hanging from it thicker than packthreads, to say nothing farther concerning the rest of their persons.
It had a cock near the bottom to let out the water, when it began to grow stale; and two servants could easily fill it in half an hour.
Then suddenly we saw a rush of smoke far away up the river, a puff of smoke that jerked up into the air and hung; and forthwith the ground heaved under foot and a heavy explosion shook the air, smashing two or three windows in the houses near, and leaving us astonished.
At sight of these strange, swift, and terrible creatures the crowd near the water's edge seemed to me to be for a moment horror-struck.
Had we continued thus, I confess we had had much to boast of; but as wise men say, it is ill venturing too near the brink of a command, so we found it; and here again I must do him the justice to own that the first breach was not on his part.
When I grew near my time she desired my gentleman to go away to London, or make as if he did so.
This was small comfort to us; however, we had no remedy: there was on our left hand, at about a quarter of a mile distance, a little grove, and very near the road.
I soon found the place I was in was not fit for my settlement, because it was upon a low, moorish ground, near the sea, and I believed it would not be wholesome, and more particularly because there was no fresh water near it; so I resolved to find a more healthy and more convenient spot of ground.
Thus I only knew we were near the Island of Carpathos, one of the Sporades, by Captain Nemo reciting these lines from Virgil:
I could not doubt either that he was there, because I was there, and that however slight an appearance of danger there might be about us, danger was always near and active.
After rather carelessly inspecting the ruin I resumed my sport, and having fairly good success prolonged it until near sunset, when it occurred to me that I was a long way from any human habitation--too far to reach one by nightfall.
I walked a long time, and when I thought I had nearly done enough, and might conscientiously yield to the fatigue that almost overpowered me--might relax this forced action, and, sitting down on a stone I saw near, submit resistlessly to the apathy that clogged heart and limb--I heard a bell chime--a church bell.
Three of them ran something like the following, but I do not pretend to quote: -- Sacred To the Memory of John Talbot, Who, at the age of eighteen, was lost overboard, Near the Isle of Desolation, off Patagonia, November 1st,
And still it neared and neared: As if it dodged a water-sprite, It plunged and tacked and veered.