heart

after your own heart of the type that you like or understand best; sharing your tastes.

1988Sebastian BarryBoss Grady's Boys He took away every year I had to give a man, and then took away himself for good measure. He was a man after my own heart so I will not blame him.

bleeding heart: seebleeding.

break someone's heart overwhelm someone with sadness.

by heart from memory.

a change of heart: seechange.

cross my heart: seecross.

cry from the heart: seecry.

eat your heart out: seeeat.

a faint heart: seefaint.

find it in your heart to do something: seefind.

from the bottom of your heart (or from the heart) with sincere feeling.

have a heart be merciful, show pity (usually imperative).

have the heart be insensitive or hard-hearted enough.

2007Robert LeleuxThe Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy He'd say some perfectly exasperating thing, like someday we'd adopt children, and did I really have the heart to deny them a grandfather?

have (or put) your heart in be (or become) keenly involved in or committed to an enterprise.

have your heart in your mouth be greatly alarmed or apprehensive.

have your heart in the right place be sincere or well intentioned.

heart and soul great energy and enthusiasm.

1977Michael FraynAlphabetical Order She hasn't been here long, I know. But she's put her whole heart and soul into this place.

heart of gold a generous nature.

heart of oak a courageous nature.

☞ Literally, the heart is the solid central part of the oak tree traditionally used for timber for ships. The phrase was popularized by the words of an 18th-century song: 'Heart of oak are our ships, Heart of oak are our men'.

heart of stone a stern or cruel nature.

heart to heart candidly or intimately.

hearts and flowers used in allusion to extreme sentimentality.

hearts and minds used in reference to emotional and intellectual support or commitment.

2009Robert Bothwell & Jean DaudelinCanada among Nations 2008 It [i.e. the aid programme] was … forced to act as … a hearts and minds operation for Canada's changeable political and security agendas.

in your heart of hearts in your innermost feelings.

lose heart become discouraged.

my heart bleeds for you: seebleeds.

pour your heart out: seepour.

set your heart on decide you very much want to have.

a song in your heart: seesong.

steal someone's heart: seesteal.

take heart be encouraged.

take something to heart take something seriously; be much affected or upset by something.

1992Ian RankinA Good Hanging Suicidal, just as actors can be. He took criticism to heart. He was a perfectionist.

to your heart's content: seecontent.

warm the cockles of someone's heart: seecockle.

wear your heart on your sleeve make your feelings apparent.

☞ In medieval times, it was the custom for a knight to wear the name of a lady on his sleeve during a tournament; the phrase was later popularized by Shakespeare in Othello: 'For I will wear my heart upon my sleeve, For daws to peck at'.

2005Elle Girl Even if you do find a bloke who's happy to wear his heart on his sleeve and shower you with gifts and public displays of affection, is that really you?

your heart's desire someone or something that is greatly wished for.

your heart sinks into your boots: seeboot.

you're breaking my heart used ironically to suggest that the person referred to does not deserve the sympathy they are seeking.