說句“心”里話

Today’s expressions include a very important word—heart.

We will try to get to “the heart of the matter”to better understand the most important things about words and their stories. So take heart. Have no fear about learning new expressions. Besides， popular English words can be fun. There is no need for a heavy heart. Such feelings of sadness would only break my heart， or make me feel unhappy and hopeless.

Now， let us suppose you and I were speaking freely about something private. We would be having a “heart-to-heart”discussion. I might speak “from the bottom of my heart，” or say things honestly and truthfully. I might even “open up my heart”to you and tell you a secret. I would speak“with all my heart，” or with great feeling.

When a person shares her feelings freely and openly like this， you might say she“wears her heart on her sleeve，” or on her clothing. Her emotions are not protected.

If we had an honest discussion， both of us would know that the other person’s heart is“in the right place.” For example， I would know that you are a kind-hearted and well-meaning person. And， if you are a very good person， I would even say that you have “a heart of gold.”However， you might have “a change of heart” based on what I tell you—our discussion might cause you to change the way you feel about something.

But， let us suppose you get angry over what I tell you. Or worse， you feel no sympathy or understanding for me or my situation. If this happens， I might think that you have “a heart of stone.” And， if you say something to make me frightened or worried， my heart might stand still or “skip a beat.”

Yet， even though you may be angry， I would know that at heart， you are a kind person. In reality， you do care. And any argument between us would not cause me to “lose heart，” or feel a sense of loss.

“My heart goes out to” anyone who loses a friend over an argument： it really is a sad situation， and I feel sympathy for the people involved.

I promise that what I have told you today is true—“cross my heart.”

I really wanted to play some music at the end of this feature. In fact， I “had my heart set on it.” So here it is： “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Elton John.

the heart of the matter（the basic， central or critical point of an issue）：事情的實質，問題的核心。

take heart（to receive courage or comfort from some fact）：鼓起勇氣，振作起來。

a heavy heart（in a sad or miserable state， unhappily）：沉重的心情，不愉快。

break one’s heart（make someone very sad）：使某人心碎、傷心。

heart-to-heart（frank； sincere and intimate）：率直的，誠實的，坦白的

from the bottom of one’s heart（sincerely）：從某人內心深處，自某人心底，衷心地。

open up one’s heart（tell someone about your problems and secrets）：敞開心扉，開誠布公。

with all one’s heart（with the deepest feeling or devotion）：全心全意地，竭誠地，真誠地。

wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve/clothing（display one’s feelings openly and habitually， rather than keep them private）：不掩飾自己的情感，心直口快。

one’s heart in the right place（someone is a good and kind person even if he doesn’t always seem to be）：心地善良。

a heart of gold（be generous， sincere， and friendly）：金子般的心，心地善良。

a change of heart（change one’s opinion）：改變主意。

a heart of stone（an unfriendly and unkind character）：鐵石心腸。

heart skip a beat（be suddenly surprised， excited or frightened）：心跳加快。

at heart（in the most basic way）：在心底，內心里，本質上。

lose heart（lose one’s courage or confidence）：失去信心，灰心。

one’s heart goes out（one feels great sympathy for someone）：非常同情某人。

cross one’s heart（something that someone says in order to emphasize that something is true）：發誓千真萬確。

have one’s heart set on something（want something very much）：一心想要得到某物才做某事。