Heart idioms / metaphors in English

[linguaholic]

In the past we had fish/fishing idioms, insect idioms and some more. What about heart-related idioms/metaphors? Let us collect them in this thread.

break (someone`s) heart

do (something) in a heartbeat

from the bottom of one’s Heart

with half a heart

follow one's heart

have a heart

have a change of heart

have a soft spot in one's heart for (someone or something)

heart is in the right place

to have a heart of stone

pour one’s heart out to someone

to have a heavy heart

learn (something) by heart

lose one’s heart to (someone)

to be young at heart

[ddrmario123]

"A heart of gold," is the opposite of "a heart of stone" and it means to be nice and benevolent.

For example: "He donated a lot to the orphanage. He has a heart of gold." It means he is very caring.

"Faint of heart," refers to someone who is very squeamish.

For example: "Surgery is not for someone with a faint of heart."

"To your heart's content," means as much as you want.

For example: "I have a lot of food. Eat to your heart's content."

[jcannon]

Heart idioms! Great idea.

...to have a "bleeding heart" generally means you are very emotional.

...to have your "heart in your mouth" means someone is nervous.

...to be "after my own heart" which means they have very common interests with me.

...the "way to a man's heart is through his stomach" which means that if you feed a man, he will be more likely to love you

I look forward to seeing more of these!

[LauraM]

I agree, this is a great topic.  There are so many heart idioms and metaphors in the English language.

Here are a few I thought of:

"Take heart"  -- to have courage, to take comfort or to persevere, depending on the context.

"Eat your heart out" -- to be jealous of or to envy someone else.

To "have one's heart set on" -- be determined about something. 

"Heart skips a beat" -- to be startled or taken by surprise.

"Heart goes out" to someone -- to have empathy, sympathy and/or understanding of someone's difficulties.

"Heart isn't in it" -- to lack the drive, passion or interest in something.

[Denis Hard]

A few more:

Not for the faint-hearted - not good for people who get frightened/unnerved easily.

Chicken-hearted - cowardly.

Eat your heart out - to grieve over some loss.

Have best interest at heart - to make decisions based on someones interests.

Young at heart - having a youthful spirit regardless of one's age.

[Eudora13]

Here are some more heart idioms...

Does the heart good

To know by heart

Change of heart

Heartfelt/ Heartless

Wear your heart on your sleeve

Give one's heart and soul

[rodserd]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder?  Not sure if that's an idiom or not.

[Banister]

Here are my favorite heart idioms;

Feeling despondent and unhappy: heart sinks

Once you face a sudden excitement or fear, you can say that your heat missed a beat.

If you lack compassion and pity people can say that you have a stone heart.

[Rosa]

To have a aching heart- a feeling of sadness because love has been lost or has faded.

Have a heart of gold- to be kind, generous or friendly.

do in a heart beat- to do something without hesitation.

[czarina84]

"The heart wants what the heart wants" means that you can't choose who you love.  "Heart's desire" is kind of self-explanatory.  It means what you truly want.  "A man/woman after my own heart" means someone who likes what you like or is similar to you in personality.