IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishhave a heart of gold
Meaning: To be very kind and generous.
Example: “The old janitor looks gruff, but he has a heart of gold.”
Origin: In Shakespeare's Henry V (around 1599), Pistol calls the king "a bawcock, and a heart of gold." Gold, the purest and most precious metal, stands for a good and generous nature.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Avoir le cœur sur la main Literally: To have your heart on your hand
More English idioms
- have a short fuse To lose one's temper easily.
- be full of beans To be lively and full of energy.
- not to give a hoot Not to care at all.
- have a blast To have a very good time.
- set alarm bells ringing To make someone suspect that something is wrong.
- throw the baby out with the bathwater To discard something valuable while getting rid of what is unwanted.
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