heart

I. 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) II. transitive verb Date: before 12th century 1. archaic hearten 2. archaic to fix in the heart