break one's heart — to make someone feel very sad or disappointed, especially by ending a romantic relationship or betraying their trust
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to make someone feel very sad or disappointed, especially by ending a romantic relationship or betraying their trust
Pronunciation (IPA): /breɪk wʌnz hɑːrt/
Example Sentences
- When my dog ate my entire pizza, it broke my heart... and my wallet.
- It would break my mother's heart if she knew I've been eating instant noodles for breakfast.
- The movie's ending was so sad that it broke the hearts of everyone in the theater.
break one's heart
VERB[/breɪk wʌnz hɑːrt/]
to make someone feel very sad or disappointed, especially by ending a romantic relationship or betraying their trust
Watching him walk away in the rain would break one's heart.
When lovers drift apart, pain becomes art
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase emerged from medieval European thought, which conceptualized the heart as the seat of emotion and feeling. The combination of 'break' with 'heart' developed into an idiomatic expression for emotional pain and romantic disappointment, becoming established in English literature from the 16th century onward.
Breakdown
break (to fracture or destroy) + heart (the organ symbolizing emotion, love, and courage). The phrase transfers the physical action of breaking to the metaphorical breaking of one's emotional well-being.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“When my dog ate my entire pizza, it broke my heart... and my wallet.”
“It would break my mother's heart if she knew I've been eating instant noodles for breakfast.”
“The movie's ending was so sad that it broke the hearts of everyone in the theater.”
“She broke his heart when she chose the other guy, but at least she didn't break his PlayStation.”
📚Related Words
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