n.

1. the locus of feelings and intuitions;
   bosom
   
   • in your heart you know it is true
   • her story would melt your bosom
2. the hollow muscular organ located behind the sternum and between the lungs; its rhythmic contractions move the blood through the body;
   pump, ticker
   
   • he stood still, his heart thumping wildly
3. the courage to carry on;
   mettle, nerve, spunk
   
   • he kept fighting on pure spunk
   • you haven't got the heart for baseball
4. an area that is approximately central within some larger region;
   center, centre, middle, eye
   
   • it is in the center of town
   • they ran forward into the heart of the struggle
   • they were in the eye of the storm
5. the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience;
   kernel, substance, core, center, essence, gist, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty
   
   • the gist of the prosecutor's argument
   • the heart and soul of the Republican Party
   • the nub of the story
6. an inclination or tendency of a certain kind;
   spirit
   
   • he had a change of heart
7. a plane figure with rounded sides curving inward at the top and intersecting at the bottom; conventionally used on playing cards and valentines
   
   • he drew a heart and called it a valentine
8. a firm rather dry variety meat (usually beef or veal)
   
   • a five-pound beef heart will serve six
9. a positive feeling of liking;
   affection, affectionateness, fondness, tenderness, warmness, warmheartedness, philia
   
   • he had trouble expressing the affection he felt
   • the child won everyone's heart
   • the warmness of his welcome made us feel right at home
10. a playing card in the major suit that has one or more red hearts on it
    
    • he led the queen of hearts
    • hearts were trumps