heart

heart   (härt)    (click for larger image in new window) n.   Anatomy The chambered muscular organ in vertebrates that pumps blood received from the veins into the arteries, thereby maintaining the flow of blood through the entire circulatory system. A similarly functioning structure in invertebrates. The vital center and source of one's being, emotions, and sensibilities. The repository of one's deepest and sincerest feelings and beliefs: an appeal from the heart; a subject dear to her heart. The seat of the intellect or imagination: the worst atrocities the human heart could devise. Emotional constitution, basic disposition, or character: a man after my own heart. One's prevailing mood or current inclination: We were light of heart. Capacity for sympathy or generosity; compassion: a leader who seems to have no heart. Love; affection: The child won my heart. Courage; resolution; fortitude: The soldiers lost heart and retreated. The firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant task or responsibility: hadn't the heart to send them away without food. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: the heart of the financial district. See Synonyms at center. The core of a plant, fruit, or vegetable: hearts of palm. A red, heart-shaped figure on certain playing cards. A playing card with this figure. hearts (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure. A card game in which the object is either to avoid hearts when taking tricks or to take all the hearts. The area that is the approximate location of the heart in the body; the breast. The vital center and source of one's being, emotions, and sensibilities. The repository of one's deepest and sincerest feelings and beliefs: an appeal from the heart; a subject dear to her heart. The seat of the intellect or imagination: the worst atrocities the human heart could devise. Emotional constitution, basic disposition, or character: a man after my own heart. One's prevailing mood or current inclination: We were light of heart. Capacity for sympathy or generosity; compassion: a leader who seems to have no heart. Love; affection: The child won my heart. Courage; resolution; fortitude: The soldiers lost heart and retreated. The firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant task or responsibility: hadn't the heart to send them away without food. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: the heart of the financial district. See Synonyms at center. The core of a plant, fruit, or vegetable: hearts of palm. A red, heart-shaped figure on certain playing cards. A playing card with this figure. hearts (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure. A card game in which the object is either to avoid hearts when taking tricks or to take all the hearts. Emotional constitution, basic disposition, or character: a man after my own heart. One's prevailing mood or current inclination: We were light of heart. Capacity for sympathy or generosity; compassion: a leader who seems to have no heart. Love; affection: The child won my heart. Courage; resolution; fortitude: The soldiers lost heart and retreated. The firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant task or responsibility: hadn't the heart to send them away without food. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: the heart of the financial district. See Synonyms at center. The core of a plant, fruit, or vegetable: hearts of palm. A red, heart-shaped figure on certain playing cards. A playing card with this figure. hearts (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure. A card game in which the object is either to avoid hearts when taking tricks or to take all the hearts. Capacity for sympathy or generosity; compassion: a leader who seems to have no heart. Love; affection: The child won my heart. Courage; resolution; fortitude: The soldiers lost heart and retreated. The firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant task or responsibility: hadn't the heart to send them away without food. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: the heart of the financial district. See Synonyms at center. The core of a plant, fruit, or vegetable: hearts of palm. A red, heart-shaped figure on certain playing cards. A playing card with this figure. hearts (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure. A card game in which the object is either to avoid hearts when taking tricks or to take all the hearts. Courage; resolution; fortitude: The soldiers lost heart and retreated. The firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant task or responsibility: hadn't the heart to send them away without food. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: the heart of the financial district. See Synonyms at center. The core of a plant, fruit, or vegetable: hearts of palm. A red, heart-shaped figure on certain playing cards. A playing card with this figure. hearts (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure. A card game in which the object is either to avoid hearts when taking tricks or to take all the hearts. A person esteemed or admired as lovable, loyal, or courageous: a dear heart. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: the heart of the financial district. See Synonyms at center. The core of a plant, fruit, or vegetable: hearts of palm. A red, heart-shaped figure on certain playing cards. A playing card with this figure. hearts (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure. A card game in which the object is either to avoid hearts when taking tricks or to take all the hearts. The most important or essential part: get to the heart of the matter. A conventional two-lobed representation of the heart, usually colored red or pink. Games A red, heart-shaped figure on certain playing cards. A playing card with this figure. hearts (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure. A card game in which the object is either to avoid hearts when taking tricks or to take all the hearts. tr.v.   heart·ed, heart·ing, hearts Archaic To encourage; hearten. [Middle English hert, from Old English heorte; see kerd- in Indo-European roots.]

Heart

Heart\, n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha['i]rt?, Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. ?, ? ????. Cf. Accord, Discord, Cordial, 4th Core, Courage.]

1. (Anat.) A hollow, muscular organ, which, by contracting rhythmically, keeps up the circulation of the blood.

Why does my blood thus muster to my heart! --Shak.

Note: In adult mammals and birds, the heart is four-chambered, the right auricle and ventricle being completely separated from the left auricle and ventricle; and the blood flows from the systematic veins to the right auricle, thence to the right ventricle, from which it is forced to the lungs, then returned to the left auricle, thence passes to the left ventricle, from which it is driven into the systematic arteries. See Illust. under Aorta. In fishes there are but one auricle and one ventricle, the blood being pumped from the ventricle through the gills to the system, and thence returned to the auricle. In most amphibians and reptiles, the separation of the auricles is partial or complete, and in reptiles the ventricles also are separated more or less completely. The so-called lymph hearts, found in many amphibians, reptiles, and birds, are contractile sacs, which pump the lymph into the veins.

2. The seat of the affections or sensibilities, collectively or separately, as love, hate, joy, grief, courage, and the like; rarely, the seat of the understanding or will; -- usually in a good sense, when no epithet is expressed; the better or lovelier part of our nature; the spring of all our actions and purposes; the seat of moral life and character; the moral affections and character itself; the individual disposition and character; as, a good, tender, loving, bad, hard, or selfish heart.

Hearts are dust, hearts' loves remain. --Emerson.

3. The nearest the middle or center; the part most hidden and within; the inmost or most essential part of any body or system; the source of life and motion in any organization; the chief or vital portion; the center of activity, or of energetic or efficient action; as, the heart of a country, of a tree, etc.

Exploits done in the heart of France. --Shak.

Peace subsisting at the heart Of endless agitation. --Wordsworth.

4. Courage; courageous purpose; spirit.

Eve, recovering heart, replied. --Milton.

The expelled nations take heart, and when they fly from one country invade another. --Sir W. Temple.

5. Vigorous and efficient activity; power of fertile production; condition of the soil, whether good or bad.

That the spent earth may gather heart again. --Dryden.

6. That which resembles a heart in shape; especially, a roundish or oval figure or object having an obtuse point at one end, and at the other a corresponding indentation, -- used as a symbol or representative of the heart.

7. One of a series of playing cards, distinguished by the figure or figures of a heart; as, hearts are trumps.

8. Vital part; secret meaning; real intention.

And then show you the heart of my message. --Shak.

9. A term of affectionate or kindly and familiar address. "I speak to thee, my heart." --Shak.

Note: Heart is used in many compounds, the most of which need no special explanation; as, heart-appalling, heart-breaking, heart-cheering, heart-chilled, heart-expanding, heart-free, heart-hardened, heart-heavy, heart-purifying, heart-searching, heart-sickening, heart-sinking, heart-stirring, heart-touching, heart-wearing, heart-whole, heart-wounding, heart-wringing, etc.

After one's own heart, conforming with one's inmost approval and desire; as, a friend after my own heart.

The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart. --1 Sam. xiii. 14.

At heart, in the inmost character or disposition; at bottom; really; as, he is at heart a good man.

By heart, in the closest or most thorough manner; as, to know or learn by heart. "Composing songs, for fools to get by heart" (that is, to commit to memory, or to learn thoroughly). --Pope.

For my heart, for my life; if my life were at stake. [Obs.] "I could not get him for my heart to do it." --Shak.

Heart bond (Masonry), a bond in which no header stone stretches across the wall, but two headers meet in the middle, and their joint is covered by another stone laid header fashion. --Knight.

Heart and hand, with enthusiastic co["o]peration.

Heart hardness, hardness of heart; callousness of feeling; moral insensibility. --Shak.

Heart heaviness, depression of spirits. --Shak.

Heart point (Her.), the fess point. See Escutcheon.

Heart rising, a rising of the heart, as in opposition.

Heart shell (Zo["o]l.), any marine, bivalve shell of the genus Cardium and allied genera, having a heart-shaped shell; esp., the European Isocardia cor; -- called also heart cockle.

Heart sickness, extreme depression of spirits.

Heart and soul, with the utmost earnestness.

Heart urchin (Zo["o]l.), any heartshaped, spatangoid sea urchin. See Spatangoid.

Heart wheel, a form of cam, shaped like a heart. See Cam.

In good heart, in good courage; in good hope.

Out of heart, discouraged.

Poor heart, an exclamation of pity.

To break the heart of. (a) To bring to despair or hopeless grief; to cause to be utterly cast down by sorrow. (b) To bring almost to completion; to finish very nearly; -- said of anything undertaken; as, he has broken the heart of the task.

To find in the heart, to be willing or disposed. "I could find in my heart to ask your pardon." --Sir P. Sidney.

To have at heart, to desire (anything) earnestly.

To have in the heart, to purpose; to design or intend to do.

To have the heart in the mouth, to be much frightened.

To lose heart, to become discouraged.

To lose one's heart, to fall in love.

To set the heart at rest, to put one's self at ease.

To set the heart upon, to fix the desires on; to long for earnestly; to be very fond of.

To take heart of grace, to take courage.

To take to heart, to grieve over.

To wear one's heart upon one's sleeve, to expose one's feelings or intentions; to be frank or impulsive.

With all one's whole heart, very earnestly; fully; completely; devotedly.

heart

The hollow muscular organ that is the center of the circulatory system. The heart pumps blood throughout the intricate system of blood vessels in the body.

heart 

Main Entry: heart
Pronunciation: 'härt
Function: noun
1 : a hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts asa force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood and that in the human adult is about five inches (13 centimeters) long and three and one half inches (9 centimeters) broad, is of conical form, isplaced obliquely in the chest with the broad end upward and to the right and the apex opposite the interval between the cartilages of the fifth and sixth ribs on the left side, is enclosed in a serouspericardium, and consists as in other mammals and in birds of four chambers divided into an upper pair of rather thin-walled atria which receive blood from the veins and a lower pair of thick-walledventricles into which the blood is forced and which in turn pump it into the arteries
2 : a structure in an invertebrate animal functionally analogous to the vertebrate heart

heart (härt)
n.

1. The chambered, muscular organ in vertebrates that pumps blood received from the veins into the arteries, thereby maintaining the flow of blood through the entire circulatory system.
2. A similarly functioning structure in invertebrates.

heart   (härt)  Pronunciation Key  (click for larger image in new window) The hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood through the body of a vertebrate animal by contracting and relaxing. In humans and other mammals, it has four chambers, consisting of two atria and two ventricles. The right side of the heart collects blood with low oxygen levels from the veins and pumps it to the lungs. The left side receives blood with high oxygen levels from the lungs and pumps it into the aorta, which carries it to the arteries of the body. The heart in other vertebrates functions similarly but often has fewer chambers. A similar but simpler organ in invertebrate animals.

Heart

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. "Heart" and "soul" are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case. The heart is the "home of the personal life," and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and such passages the word "soul" could not be substituted for "heart." The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Rom. 2:15). It is naturally wicked (Gen. 8:21), and hence it contaminates the whole life and character (Matt. 12:34; 15:18; comp. Eccl. 8:11; Ps. 73:7). Hence the heart must be changed, regenerated (Ezek. 36:26; 11:19; Ps. 51:10-14), before a man can willingly obey God. The process of salvation begins in the heart by the believing reception of the testimony of God, while the rejection of that testimony hardens the heart (Ps. 95:8; Prov. 28:14; 2 Chr. 36:13). "Hardness of heart evidences itself by light views of sin; partial acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit; ingratitude; unconcern about the word and ordinances of God; inattention to divine providences; stifling convictions of conscience; shunning reproof; presumption, and general ignorance of divine things."

heart

In addition to the idioms beginning with heart, also see absence makes the heart grow fonder; after one's own heart; at heart; break someone's heart; by heart; change of heart; cold hands, warm heart; cross my heart; cry one's eyes (heart) out; cut to the quick (heart); do one (one's heart) good; eat one's heart out; find it in one's heart; from the bottom of one's heart; get to the heart of; give someone heart failure; half a heart; harden one's heart; have a heart; have no heart for; heavy heart; in one's heart of hearts; lose heart; lose one's heart to; near to one's heart; not have the heart to; open one's heart; pour out one's heart; set one's heart on; sick at heart; steal someone's heart; steel one's heart against; take heart; take to heart; to one's heart's content; warm heart; warm the cockles of one's heart; wear one's heart on one's sleeve; with all one's heart; young at heart.