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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

hearts on sleeves en · NOUN

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, plural, plural-only) Transparent, open, or forthright emotions.
    • Hearts on sleeves as Scotland faces moment of truth 2014 September 19, Matthew Fisher, The Vancouver Sun, page B1:
    • Well, you’re not bothered – hearts on sleeves and all that – touché. 2009, Hazel Wheeler, Crackers at Christmas: The Festive Trials of a Yorkshire Housewife, Amberley Publishing, published 2013, →ISBN:
    • It’s as you would expect, all love and longing, hearts on sleeves and happily ever afters. 2021, Victoria McFarlane, I Don’t Want You, →ISBN:
    • With hearts on sleeves and sparklers in hand, may we all see glittering lights in the darkness. 2016, Mandy Arioto, Starry-Eyed: Seeing Grace in the Unfolding Constellation of Life and Motherhood, Zondervan, →ISBN, page 14:
    • It is a time for reflection, for hearts on sleeves and for dedications. 2010, Luca Caioli, Messi: The Inside Story of the Boy Who Became a Legend, Icon Books, →ISBN:
    • Instead of hearts on sleeves, expect caution, philosophical doubt, a bland smile. 2019, Andrew Beatty, “Java: Emotions Analyzed”, in Emotional Worlds: Beyond an Anthropology of Emotion, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, part I (Groundings), page 77:
    • As they have avoided the consequences of one defeat in Standing Committee, we are trying to get another opportunity for the House to consider the matter in order to bring home to the Government that it is no use Ministers coming here with hearts on sleeves and being full of good intentions aimed at the electorate and anybody else who cares to listen. 1975 June 11, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), page 453:
    • What I love about bluegrass is that it’s hearts on sleeves, and getting everyone involved, and rocking out. 2013, Chloe Govan, The Incredible Rise of Mumford & Sons, Omnibus Press, →ISBN:
    • On our last trip, hearts on sleeves and neighbourly love in spades had been replaced by clubs in hand and diamond geezers in warring gangs. 2012, Sam Bleakley, “Getting Traction in Haiti”, in Surfing Tropical Beats, Alison Hodge Publishers, →ISBN, page 28:
    • Played with all hearts on sleeves. With angst. angst. angst. 2002 July 23, Greil Marcus, “Real Life Rock Top 10”, in Salon; quoted in Greil Marcus, “Salon, 1999–2003”, in Real Life Rock: The Complete Top Ten Columns, 1986–2014, New Haven, Conn.; London: Yale University Press, 2015, →ISBN, page 314:
    • THE SCHIAVO CASE: THE SCENE; Protesters With Hearts on Sleeves and Anger on Signs 2005 March 28, Rick Lyman, The New York Times, section A, page 15:

Relateds

wear one's heart on one's sleeve