Dictionary

wear one's heart on one's sleeve en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To be very transparent, open, or forthright about one's emotions.
   • Such a man must have reticences in him. If he walk wearing his heart upon his sleeve for daws to peck at, his journey will not extend far! 1840 May 22, Thomas Carlyle, “Lecture VI. The Hero as King. Cromwell, Napoleon: Modern Revolutionism.”, in On Heroes, Hero-Worship and The Heroic in History, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1840, →OCLC, page 202:
   • I feel so close to you right now, it's a force field / I wear my heart on my sleeve, like a big deal 2011, “Feel So Close”, performed by Calvin Harris:
   • I'm not being smart or trying to be cold on my part / And I'm not gonna wear my heart on my sleeve / But you know people get all emotional 1978, Lou Reed, “Street Hassle”, in Street Hassle:
   • Iago: For when my outward action doth demonstrate The native act and figure of my heart In compliment extern, 'tis not long after But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at: I am not what I am. c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], line 64:
   • There was something very direct and childlike in Virginie Poucette. She could not pretend; she wore her heart on her sleeve. 1915, Gilbert Parker, chapter 18, in The Money Master:

Forms

Relateds

hearts on sleeves · to wear on one's sleeve

Synonyms

to be an open book (to be emotionally transparent)

Translations (15)

ko 솔직하다 (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · pl mieć serce na dłoni (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · ru душа́ нараспа́шку /lit:soul open wide/ (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · nl het hart op de tong hebben (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · cmn 开诚布公 (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · fi olla kuin avoin kirja (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · vi ruột để ngoài da (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · de sein Herz auf den Lippen tragen (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · cmn 披肝瀝膽 /披肝沥胆 (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · es ir con el lirio en la mano (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · ca parlar amb el cor a la mà (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · oc parlar dab lo còr a la man (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · cmn 坦率 (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · fr parler à cœur ouvert (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions) · de sein Herz auf der Zunge tragen (to be transparent or forthright about one's emotions)