take to heart en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) To take something seriously; to internalize or live according to something (e.g. advice.)
He really took it to heart when I asked him to reconsider.
Will Americans heed his message? Will they take history’s lessons to heart? Or will it all turn out to be a temporary blip, a fleeting moment of goodwill and good manners, a mere gap in the clouds?
2026 May 2, Simon Tisdall, “The king went to Washington to save Britain’s bacon. He may also have shown the US how to save itself”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
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(idiomatic) To feel keenly; be greatly grieved at; be much affected by something.
Of course, with her weak heart and dropsy one couldn't expect that she could get about with him, but he spent two hours every evening in her room. He might well do what he could, for she has been a rare good friend to him. But that's all over, too. He never goes near her. And she takes it to heart. She is brooding and sulky and drinking, Mr. Holmes—drinking like a fish.
1927 March 5, Arthur Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place”, in The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, published June 1927, →OCLC, page 281:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| takes to heart | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| taken to heart | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| taking to heart | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| took to heart | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Translations (40)
it averci a cuore (to take something seriously) · fi ottaa itseensä (to take something seriously) · it avere a cuore (to take something seriously) · it prendersi a cuore (to feel keenly) · nl ter harte nemen (to take something seriously) · it prendersi a cuore (to take something seriously) · ru принять близко к сердцу (to take something seriously) · it averci a cuore (to feel keenly) · uk брати до серця (to take something seriously) · ru принима́ть бли́зко к се́рдцу (to feel keenly) · fr prendre à cœur (to feel keenly) · cmn 想不開 /想不开 (to take something seriously) · mi whakangākau (to take something seriously) · pt levar a sério (to take something seriously) · cmn 痛感 (to feel keenly) · he שָׂם לָלֵב (to feel keenly) · pl wziąć sobie do serca (to take something seriously) · it avere a cuore (to feel keenly) · tr ciddiye almak (to take something seriously) · ro pune la suflet (to feel keenly) · tl isapuso (to take something seriously) · fi ottaa sydämelleen (to take something seriously) · fr prendre à cœur (to take something seriously) · hu mellre szív (to feel keenly) · gl tomar a peito (to feel keenly) · pl brać sobie do serca (to take something seriously) · nb legge på hjertet (to take something seriously) · it prendere a cuore (to feel keenly) · es tomar a la tremenda (to feel keenly) · fi ottaa sydämelleen (to feel keenly) · da lægge på hjertet (to take something seriously) · de sich zu Herzen nehmen (to take something seriously) · tr içerlemek (to feel keenly) · es tomar a pecho (to feel keenly) · it prendere a cuore (to take something seriously) · fi liikuttua (to feel keenly) · pt levar a mal (to feel keenly) · cmn 往心裡去 /往心里去 (to take something seriously) · gl tomar a peito (to take something seriously) · af die saak aantrek (to take something seriously)