[heart] n [ME hert, fr. OE heorte; akin to OHG herza heart, L cord-, cor, Gk kardia] (bef. 12c) 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; specif: a stylized representation of a heart
2. a: a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a red heart b pl: the suit comprising cards marked with hearts c pl but sing or pl in constr: a game in which the object is to avoid taking tricks containing hearts 3 a: personality, disposition "a cold ~" b obs: intellect
4: the emotional or moral as distinguished from the intellectual nature: as a: generous disposition: compassion "a leader with ~" b: love, affections "won her ~" c: courage, ardor "never lost ~"
5: one's innermost character, feelings, or inclinations "knew it in his ~" "a man after my own ~"
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 : in essence: basically, essentially -- by heart : by rote or from memory -- to heart : with deep concern
[2]heart vt (bef. 12c) 1 archaic: hearten
2. archaic: to fix in the heart