IDIOMS – HEART

after one`s own heart

– well-liked for agreeing with one`s own feelings, interests and ideas

My new boss loves to go fishing every weekend. He is a man after my own heart.

at heart

– in spite of, in reality

He seems to be very angry all the time but at heart he is a very gentle person.

break one`s heart

– make very sad or hopeless

It broke my heart to see the woman fall down during the race after she had tried so hard.

change of heart

– a change in the way one feels about something

I had a change of heart about not going to Europe for my holiday and finally decided to go.

cross one`s heart and hope to die

– say that what one has said is surely true (often used by children)

"I promise that I will meet you tomorrow. Cross my heart and hope to die."

eat one`s heart out

– grieve long and hopelessly for something, want something

"You can eat your heart out but I won`t give you a piece of this chocolate bar."

from the bottom of one`s heart

– with great feeling, sincerely

My sister thanked the man from the bottom of her heart for saving her dog`s life.

from the heart

– sincerely, honestly

The President gave a speech from the heart after the terrible earthquake.

get to the heart of (a matter)

– understand the most important thing about something

It took a long time but we finally got to the heart of the matter about the new employee.

heart goes out to

– one feels very sorry for, one feels sympathy for

My heart goes out to the victims of the hurricane that recently struck.

heart is in the right place

– kindhearted, sympathetic or well-meaning

Although she makes a lot of mistakes her heart is in the right place.

heart of gold

– a kind, generous or forgiving nature

My grandmother has a heart of gold and is always willing to help a stranger.

heart of stone

– a nature without pity

The man who murdered his wife and children has a heart of stone.

heart skips a beat

– be startled or excited from surprise, joy or fright

My heart skipped a beat when I saw my name on the television screen.

heart stand still

– be very frightened or worried

My heart stood still when the truck on the highway almost hit our car.

heart-to-heart

– speaking freely and seriously about something private

I had a heart-to-heart talk with my girlfriend last evening.

heavy heart

– a feeling of being weighed down with sorrow, unhappiness

We left the meeting with a heavy heart when we heard that our boss would soon have to leave the company because of illness.

lose heart

– feel discouraged because of failure, lose hope of success

I tried not to lose heart even though I had failed my driver`s exam for the second time.

open one`s heart

– talk about one`s feelings honestly, confide in someone

She suddenly opened her heart when I began talking to her on the bus.

search one`s heart/soul

– study one`s reasons and acts, try to discover if one has been fair and honest

I spent a lot of time searching my soul in order to try and find out why my girlfriend had left me.

set/have one`s heart set on

– want very much

I had my heart set on getting a dog for my birthday when I was a child but I never got one.

take heart

– be encouraged, feel braver and want to try

He took heart in the fact that his son was still going to school even though he was failing most of his courses.

wear one`s heart on one`s sleeve

– show one`s feelings openly

After the going away party the salesman was wearing his heart on his sleeve.

with all one`s heart

– with great feeling, sincerely

I tried with all my heart to get my friend to go with me for a holiday but he wouldn`t come.  

answer:1. clean the house 2. to the dentist 3. 2:00 PM 4. clean the dishes 5. The machine isn’t working

Choose an idiom at the bottom to replace the expression in the brackets below: