heart – WordReference.com Dictionary of English

Anatomy

a hollow, pumplike organ of blood circulation, composed mainly of rhythmically contractile smooth muscle, located in the chest between the lungs and slightly to the left and consisting of four chambers: a right atrium that receives blood returning from the body via the superior and inferior vena cavae, a right ventricle that pumps the blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs for oxygenation, a left atrium that receives the oxygenated blood via the pulmonary veins and passes it through the mitral valve, and a left ventricle that pumps the oxygenated blood, via the aorta, throughout the body.

the center of the total personality, esp. with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion:

In your heart you know I’m an honest man.

the center of emotion, esp. as contrasted to the head as the center of the intellect:

His head told him not to fall in love, but his heart had the final say.

capacity for sympathy;
feeling;
affection:

His heart moved him to help the needy.

spirit, courage, or enthusiasm:

His heart sank when he walked into the room and saw their gloomy faces.

the innermost or central part of anything:

Notre Dame stands in the very heart of Paris.

the vital or essential part;
core:

the heart of the matter.

the breast or bosom:

to clasp a person to one’s heart.

a person (used esp. in expressions of praise or affection):

dear heart.

a conventional shape with rounded sides meeting in a point at the bottom and curving inward to a cusp at the top.

Games

a red figure or pip of this shape on a playing card.

Games

a card of the suit bearing such figures.

Botany

the core of a tree;
the solid central part without sap or albumen.

Genetics

good condition for production, growth, etc., as of land or crops.

Textiles

Also called core. 

[

Ropemaking.

]

a strand running through the center of a rope, the other strands being laid around it.

Idioms

after one’s own heart, in keeping with one’s taste or preference:

There’s a man after my own heart!

Idioms

at heart, in reality;
fundamentally;
basically:

At heart she is a romantic.

Idioms

break someone’s heart, to cause someone great disappointment or sorrow, as to disappoint in love:

The news that their son had been arrested broke their hearts.

Idioms

by heart, by memory;
word-for-word:

They knew the song by heart.

Idioms

cross one’s heart, to maintain the truth of one’s statement;
affirm one’s integrity:

That’s exactly what they told me, I cross my heart!

Idioms

do someone’s heart good, to give happiness or pleasure to;
delight:

It does my heart good to see you again.

Idioms

eat one’s heart out, to have sorrow or longing dominate one’s emotions;
grieve inconsolably:

The children are eating their hearts out over their lost dog.

Idioms

from the bottom of one’s heart, with complete sincerity. Also, from one’s heart, from the heart. 

Idioms

have a heart, to be compassionate or merciful:

Please have a heart and give her another chance.

Idioms

have at heart, to have as an object, aim, or desire:

to have another’s best interests at heart.

Idioms

have one’s heart in one’s mouth, to be very anxious or fearful:

He wanted to do the courageous thing, but his heart was in his mouth.

Idioms

have one’s heart in the right place, to be fundamentally kind, generous, or well-intentioned:

The old gentleman may have a stern manner, but his heart is in the right place.

Idioms

heart and soul, enthusiastically;
fervently;
completely:

They entered heart and soul into the spirit of the holiday.

Idioms

in one’s heart of hearts, in one’s private thoughts or feelings;
deep within one:

He knew, in his heart of hearts, that the news would be bad.

Idioms

lose one’s heart to, to fall in love with:

He lost his heart to the prima ballerina.

Idioms

near one’s heart, of great interest or concern to one:

It is a cause that is very near his heart.

Also, close to one’s heart. 

Idioms

not have the heart, to lack the necessary courage or callousness to do something:

No one had the heart to tell him he was through as an actor.

Idioms

set one’s heart against, to be unalterably opposed to:

She had set her heart against selling the statue.

Also, have one’s heart set against. 

Idioms

set one’s heart at rest, to dismiss one’s anxieties:

She couldn’t set her heart at rest until she knew he had returned safely.

Idioms

set one’s heart on, to wish for intensely;
determine on:

She has set her heart on going to Europe after graduation.

Also, have one’s heart set on. 

Idioms

take heart, to regain one’s courage;
become heartened:

Her son’s death was a great blow, but she eventually took heart, convinced that God had willed it.

Idioms

to one’s heart’s content, until one is satisfied;
as much or as long as one wishes:

The children played in the snow to their heart’s content.