70 Idioms with Heart

Idioms that refer to what is the fanciful seat of our emotions, as well as the factual core of our circulatory system, are understandably numerous.

Here’s a list of phrases and expressions that include heart and, for the most part, pertain to human feelings.

1. a big heart: said of someone kind and loving2. after my own heart: said of someone with similar preferences or values3. a heart of gold: see “a big heart”4. a heart of stone: said of someone without sympathy5. all heart: see “a big heart”; sometimes used sarcastically to mean the opposite6. at heart: basically7. bare (one’s) heart: share one’s feelings or thoughts8. bleeding heart: said of someone who is conspicuously or excessively generous9. break (one’s) heart: cause someone emotional distress10. by heart: from memory11–13. capture/steal/win (one’s) heart: make someone fall in love with one14–16. close/dear/near to (one’s) heart: loved or valued by someone17. cross my heart: said as an oath to assert one’s honesty18. didn’t have the heart: said when one cannot summon the will to do something hurtful19. do (one’s) heart good: said about something that will be beneficial to someone20. eat your heart out: said mockingly to someone expressing the desire for them to suffer; usually facetious21. faint of heart: lacking courage22–23. find a way into/to (one’s) heart: cause someone to fall in love with one24. find it in (one’s) heart: have the compassion or courage to do something25. follow (one’s) heart: do what one loves rather than what is expected of one26. from the heart: with sincerity27–28. gladden the/(one’s) heart: make someone happy or gratified29. harden (one’s) heart: become callous30. have (one’s) heart set on: be obsessed with obtaining31. have (one’s) (best) interests at heart: be doing something for someone else’s benefit32. heart goes out to: said in regard to feeling sympathy for someone33. heart in (one’s) mouth: said of someone who has strong emotions about someone or something34. heart is in the right place: said of someone well-intentioned35. heart of the matter: essence36. hearts and minds: said in reference to persuading rather than compelling37. heart’s desire: what one wishes deeply for38. heart skips a beat: said of someone excited, frightened, or surprised39. heavy heart: sadness40–41. from the bottom/depths of (one’s) heart: profoundly42. in (one’s) heart of hearts: if one’s true feelings or thoughts were known43. know (one’s) heart: be aware of one’s true feelings44. lose heart: become discouraged45–46. matters/affairs of the heart: said of something pertaining to a love affair47. melt (one’s) heart: cause someone to experience uncontrollable emotions48. nearly gave (one) a heart attack: caused someone to feel anxiety or fear49. (one’s) heart bleeds for: one is sympathetic50. (one’s) heart is knocking: said of someone excited or nervous51. (one’s) heart is not in: one does not feel a commitment to or an interest in52. (one’s) heart leaps: one is excited53. (one’s) heart melts: see “melt someone’s heart”54. (one’s) heart sinks: one becomes discouraged55. open (one’s) heart: show generosity or kindness56–57. out of the goodness/kindness of (one’s) heart: because of generosity or goodwill58. pour (one’s) heart/soul out: see “bare (one’s) heart”59. put (one’s) heart into: do something with conviction or enthusiasm60. sick at heart: discouraged61–62. strike fear into (one’s) heart/into the heart of (one): cause someone to be afraid63. take heart: be encouraged64. take (something) to heart: be affected by something65. to (one’s) heart’s content: to the extent one desires66. warm (one’s)/the cockles of (one’s) heart: cause someone to feel positive emotion67. wear (one’s) heart on (one’s) sleeve: openly show one’s emotions68. with a sinking heart: said of someone who becomes discouraged or hopeless69. with all (one’s) heart: with great enthusiasm70. young at heart: youthful