in one's heart of hearts
Meaning: In one's deepest private feelings.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “In her heart of hearts, she knew the relationship was over.”
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: From Shakespeare's Hamlet (around 1600): "I will wear him / In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart."
Equivalents in other languages
- French: En son for intérieur — literally: In one's inner tribunal
More idioms — Body & Senses
- an old hand — Someone with long experience at something.
- a low blow — An unfair or cruel attack.
- it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye — Rough play may seem harmless but can end in injury.
- a dab hand — Someone very skilled at something.
- cry one's eyes out — To cry very hard and for a long time.
- hale and hearty — Healthy and strong, especially in old age.
More English idioms
- promise the moon — To promise something impossible to deliver.
- thick and fast — Rapidly and in large numbers.
- Indian summer — A period of warm weather in autumn; also a late, happy period in life.
- one thing led to another — A series of events happened, each causing the next, often with a hint that something emba…
- Ariadne's thread — Something that guides one through a complicated problem.
- the end justifies the means — A good result excuses any way of achieving it.