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**heart**
Haw Lantern, and Seeing Things. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995 and translated Beowulf into modern English in 2000.
**heap<sup>1</sup>** /hi:p/ *n [(of)]* **1** a disorderly pile or mass of things one on top of the other: *The books lay in a heap on the floor. | a heap of dirty clothes waiting to be washed | a heap of sand/leaves* **2** [often pl.] *infml* a lot: *We have heaps of time. | a whole heap of trouble* **3** **be struck/knocked all of a heap** *old-fash infml* to be very surprised or confused $\rightarrow$ see PILE (USAGE)
**heap<sup>2</sup>** *v* **1** [T+obj+adv/prep] to pile up in large amounts: *Some old furniture had been heaped up in the corner. | [+obj+with] He heaped the plate with food. | [+obj+on] He heaped food on the plate. | a heaped tablespoonful of flour* **2 heap praises on/upon** to give a lot of praise to
**hear** /hıə<sup>r</sup>/ *v* **heard** /hɜːd/ **1** [I; T not in progressive forms] to receive (sounds) with the ears: *I heard a funny noise in the middle of the night. | I can't hear very well. | [+obj+v -v] I heard her say so. | (fml) He was heard to observe that he did not agree with the verdict. | [+obj+v-ing] I can hear someone knocking.* $\rightarrow$ compare LISTEN; see CAN<sup>1</sup> (USAGE), SEE (USAGE) **2** [T not usually in progressive forms] to be told or informed: *Have you heard the latest news? | [+(that)] I hear there's going to be an election in March. | I've heard it said that she's a tough businesswoman. | 'I passed my driving test.' 'Yes, so I've heard.' | We've been hearing quite a lot about that young tennis player recently. | Have you heard anything of Bob lately? (=received any news about him)* $\rightarrow$ see also HEAR ABOUT, HEAR OF **3** [T] (especially of a person in an official position) to listen with attention: *The judge heard the case in court. | The priest heard my confession.* **4 Hear! Hear!** (an expression of agreement). This is the usual expression of Members of Parliament when they support what is being said in parliament. **5 hear tell (of)** *infml* to get to know by being told: *I've often heard tell of the wonderful parties she gives, but I've never been invited.* **6 hear things** *infml* to imagine that one hears something that has not been said: *I must be hearing things (=I can't believe what I have heard) – they can't really have given the job to that idiot!* $\rightarrow$ see also see things (SEE<sup>1</sup>) **7 won't/wouldn't hear of** refuse(s) to allow: *I won't hear of you walking to the station – let me give you a lift!* **8 have you heard the one about...** *infml* (a common beginning for a joke) —**-er** *n*
**USAGE Compare hear and listen (to). 1** You **hear** something, but you **listen to** something. **2** To **hear** is to take in sound with the ears, whether one wants to or not: *I'm a little bit deaf so I didn't hear him knocking.* To **listen** is to pay attention in order to hear: *We always listen to the six o'clock news on the radio. | If you listen hard, you can hear what the neighbours are saying.*
**hear about** *sbdy./sthg. phr v [T]* to get to know: *Did you hear about the party? – It was a complete failure. | [+obj+v-ing] Have you heard about Gatsby jumping into the pool with all his clothes on?*
**hear from** *sbdy. phr v [T]* to receive news from (someone), usually by letter: *I heard from him last week. | I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. (=written at the end of a letter)* $\rightarrow$ compare HEAR OF
**hear of** *sbdy./sthg. phr v [T usually in questions and negatives]* to have knowledge of or receive information about (a fact, the existence of a person or thing etc): *Who's he? - I've never heard of him. | [+obj+v-ing] I've never heard of anyone doing a thing like that. | He disappeared in the Amazon region and hasn't been heard of since/and that's the last we heard of him.* $\rightarrow$ compare HEAR FROM; see also UNHEARD-OF
**hear sbdy./sthg. out** *phr v [T pass. rare]* to listen to (a person or their words) until they have finished speaking: *Don't interrupt, just hear me out.*
**hear·ing** /'hıərıŋ/ *n* **1** [U] the sense by which one hears sound: *Her hearing is getting worse.* $\rightarrow$ see also HARD OF HEARING **2** [U] the distance at which one can hear; EARSHOT: *Don't talk about it in her hearing.* (=so that she can hear) **3** [C] an act or occasion of listening: *At first hearing I didn't like the music.* **4** [C] a chance to be heard explaining one's position: *She felt that her proposal hadn't been given a fair hearing.* **5** [C] a trial of a case before a judge or any official inquiry at which witnesses are heard
**hearing aid** also **deaf-aid** *BrE infml* — *n* a small electric machine fitted near the ear, which makes sounds louder for people with weak hearing $\rightarrow$ compare LISTENING DEVICE
**'hearing im,paired** *adj* having difficulty hearing, or unable to hear at all; DEAF
**heark·en, harken** /'hɑ:kən/ *v [I(to)] lit* to listen
**hear·say** /'hıəseɪ/ *n [U]* things which are said rather than proved: *I'm told he didn't resign; he was fired – but it's only hearsay. | Hearsay evidence is not acceptable to the court.*
**hearse** /hɜːs/ *n* a vehicle which is used to carry a body in its COFFIN to the funeral before being put in the grave
**Hearst, Patty** /hɜːst/ (1954–) an American woman who is the GRANDDAUGHTER of William Randolph Hearst and who was KIDNAPPED in February 1974 by a LEFT-WING group called the SLA (=Symbionese Liberation Army). While she was being held prisoner by the group, she began to support the aims of the SLA and in April 1974 she was photographed helping the group to rob a bank. She was ARRESTED and sent to prison despite claiming at her TRIAL that she had been forced to help the group. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter ordered that she should be allowed to leave prison. Since then, she has appeared in films and written a book about her experiences.
**Hearst, Wil·liam Ran·dolph** /'wɪljəm 'rændɒlf/ (1863–1951) a powerful US businessman who owned many popular newspapers. It is generally believed that Orson WELLES' film CITIZEN KANE is based on Hearst's life.
**heart** /hɑːt/ *n* **1** [C] the organ inside the chest which controls the flow of blood by pushing it round the body: *a weak heart | The patient's heart is beating strongly. | (fig.) My heart stood still when I saw her. (=I was unable to move or think clearly)* **2** [C] the heart when thought of as the centre of a person's feelings, especially of kind or sincere feelings: *Don't let your heart rule your head. (=Don't let your feelings influence your ideas, decisions etc) | My heart bled (=I was very sorry) for the starving children. | I felt sick at heart. (=sad and without hope) | He has a kind/warm/cold heart. | Have a heart! (=be sympathetic/forgiving) | You can't expect me to do all that work in one day! | She died of a broken heart. | I thanked her with all my heart/from the bottom of my heart. (=very sincerely) | The nuclear issue is a subject close to her heart. (=something she is deeply concerned about) | She originally said she wouldn't help us, but she seems to have had a change of heart. (=her feelings have changed) | The political party campaigned to win the hearts and minds of the young people (=to gain their complete and eager support)* **3** [C] something in a shape supposed to be like the shape of a heart
**CULTURAL NOTE** A heart is used to represent the love between a man and a woman. It frequently appears on VALENTINE CARDS which people, especially young unmarried people, send on VALENTINE’S DAY to the man or woman they love or like romantically.
**4** [C] **a)** a heart-shaped figure printed in red on a playing card **b)** a card belonging to the SUIT (=set) of cards that have one or more of these figures printed on them: *the five/queen of hearts | I have only two hearts in my hand.* $\rightarrow$ see Cultural Note and picture at CARDS **5 a)** [(the)S(of)] the central or most important part: *in the heart of New York's financial district | Let's get to the heart of the matter/the subject. | new reforms that strike at the heart of the capitalist system* **b)** [C] the firm middle part of some leafy vegetables: *artichoke hearts* **6** [U] determination or strength of purpose: *I did the job for a few weeks but my heart wasn't in it. | I used to dig the garden every week, but I lost heart when the rain washed all the plants away. | I didn't have the heart to tell her the bad news.* **7 after your own heart** similar to oneself or of the type one likes: *He's a man after my own heart.* **8 at heart a)** really; in fact: *He seems friendly, but he's just a ruthless businessman at heart.* **b)** in one's care or thoughts: *Believe me, I have your best interests at heart.* **9 by heart** by memory: *to learn a poem by heart* **10 have one's heart in the right place** *infml* to be a kind or generous person, perhaps in spite of one's outward manner **11 heart and soul** with all one's attention and strength; completely **12 in one's heart of hearts** in one's most secret feelings; in reality: *I told her I loved her, but in my heart of hearts I knew it wasn't true.* **13 my heart sank** I suddenly lost hope: *My heart sank*