I. ˈhärt noun
Etymology: Middle English hert, from Old English heorte; akin to Old High German herza heart, Latin cord-, cor, Greek kardia
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : a hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood
b. : a structure in an invertebrate animal functionally analogous to the vertebrate heart
c. : breast , bosom
d. : something resembling a heart in shape ; specifically : a stylized representation of a heart
2.
a. : a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a red heart
b. plural : the suit comprising cards marked with hearts
c. plural but singular or plural in construction : a game in which the object is to avoid taking tricks containing hearts
3.
a. : personality , disposition
a cold heart
b. obsolete : intellect
4. : the emotional or moral as distinguished from the intellectual nature: as
a. : generous disposition : compassion
a leader with heart
b. : love , affections
won her heart
c. : courage , ardor
never lost heart
5. : one's innermost character, feelings, or inclinations
knew it in his heart
a man after my own heart
6.
a. : the central or innermost part : center
b. : the essential or most vital part of something
c. : the younger central compact part of a leafy rosette (as a head of lettuce)
•
- at heart
- by heart
- to heart
[
heart 1a: 1 aorta, 2 pulmonary artery, 3 left atrium, 4 left ventricle, 5 right ventricle, 6 right atrium
]
II. transitive verb
Date: before 12th century
1. archaic : hearten
2. archaic : to fix in the heart