heart

Etymology

From Middle English herte, from Old English heorte (“heart”), from Proto-West Germanic *hertā, from Proto-Germanic *hertô (“heart”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱérd (“heart”). Doublet of cardia. Most of the modern figurative senses (such as passion or compassion, spirit, inmost feelings, especially love, affection, and courage) were present in Old English. However, the meaning “center” dates from the early 14th century. The verb sense “to love” is from the 1977 I ❤ NY advertising campaign.

noun

1. (anatomy) A muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally thought to be the seat of emotion.
2. (uncountable) One's feelings and emotions, especially considered as part of one's character.
   She has a cold heart.
   In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road. 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page 266
   Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. 1943, Katherine Woods, transl., The Little Prince, translation of original by Antoine de Saint Exupéry
   "Do what the heart commands," Tothero says. "The heart is our only guide." 1960, John Updike, 'Rabbit, Run', page 47
   "We provided a lot of brains and a lot of heart to the response when it was needed," says Sandra Sanchez, director of AFSC's Immigrants' Voice Program in Des Moines. 2008, "Rights trampled in rush to deport immigrant workers," Quaker Action (magazine), vol. 89, no. 3, page 8
   The result still leaves Wales bottom of the group but in better heart for Tuesday night's trip to face England at Wembley, who are now outright leaders after their 3-0 win in Bulgaria. September 2, 2011, “Wales 2-1 Montenegrof”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)
3. The seat of the affections or sensibilities, collectively or separately, as love, hate, joy, grief, courage, etc.; rarely, the seat of the understanding or will; usually in a good sense; personality.
   a good, tender, loving, bad, hard, or selfish heart
4. Emotional strength that allows one to continue in difficult situations; courage; spirit; a will to compete.
   The team lost, but they showed a lot of heart.
   The heart from the home team was immense. Some of them were out on their feet before the end, but they dug in, throwing themselves in front of shots and crosses, surviving. 28 September 2016, Tom English, “Celtic 3–3 Manchester City”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), BBC Sport
   The expelled nations take heart, and when they fled from one country, invaded another. c. 1679, William Temple, Essay
5. Vigorous and efficient activity; power of fertile production; condition of the soil, whether good or bad.
6. (archaic) A term of affectionate or kindly and familiar address.
   Listen, dear heart, we must go now.
   Certain unscrupulous men may call upon you here in your dressing-room. They will lavish you with flowers, with compliments, with phials of Hungary water and methuselahs of the costliest champagne. You must be wary of such men, my hearts, they are not to be trusted. 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, pages 9–10
7. (obsolete, except in the phrase "by heart") Memory.
   I know almost every Beatles song by heart.
8. (figurative) A wight or being.
9. A conventional shape or symbol used to represent the heart, love, or emotion: ♥ or sometimes <3.
   "Aw. Thank you." The Cherub kissed the air between them and sent a small cluster of tiny red hearts at her. 1998, Pat Cadigan, Tea From an Empty Cup, page 106
10. A playing card of the suit hearts featuring one or more heart-shaped symbols.
11. (cartomancy) The twenty-fourth Lenormand card.
12. (figurative) The centre, essence, or core.
    The wood at the heart of a tree is the oldest.
    Buddhists believe that suffering is right at the heart of all life.
    At last she spoke in a low voice, hesitating slightly, nevertheless going with incisive directness into the very heart of the problem. 1899, Robert Barr, chapter 3, in The Strong Arm
    Arcelia Silva Martinez: Watch out!/Arcelia Silva Martinez: We've got geth in the tower./Fai Dan: Protect the heart of the colony! 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC,&#32;scene: Feros
    Norwich's attack centred on a front pair of Steve Morison and Grant Holt, but Younes Kaboul at the heart of the Tottenham defence dominated in the air. December 27, 2011, Mike Henson, “Norwich 0 - 2 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport

verb

1. (transitive, humorous, informal) To be fond of. Often bracketed or abbreviated with a heart symbol.
   We're but the sum of all our terrors until we heart the dove. April 6 2001, Michael Baldwin, “The Heart Has Its Reasons”, in Commonweal
   2006, Susan Reinhardt, Bulldog doesn't have to rely on the kindness of strangers to draw attention, Citizen-Times.com I guess at this point we were supposed to feel elated she'd come to her senses and decided she hearts dogs after all.
   The further we delve into this "story", the more convinced we become of one thing: We heart the Goss. January 30 2008, “Cheese in our time: Blur and Oasis to end feud with a Stilton”, in The Guardian, London
   2008 July 25, "The Media Hearts Obama?", On The Media, National Public Radio
   Lots of people say they love their hometown, but no one hearts NY quite like Milton Glaser. 2019-07-04, John Leland, “Why This Famous Graphic Designer, at 90, Still ♥s NY”, in New York Times
2. (transitive, obsolete) To give heart to; to hearten; to encourage.
3. (transitive, masonry) To fill an interior with rubble, as a wall or a breakwater.
4. (intransitive, agriculture, botany) To form a dense cluster of leaves, a heart, especially of lettuce or cabbage.