“Heart of steel” is an English idiom used to describe someone who is not influenced by emotions and makes decisions based on facts. It implies coldness and insensitivity towards others. Idioms are symbolic phrases that evolve in meaning over time within a culture.
If someone is described as having a “heart of steel,” it means that they are unaffected by any emotion. This is an English idiom used to describe people who prefer to let their judgment be based on facts or other data rather than anything that might sway their hearts. The phrase also implies that the person thus described may be cold and tactless in his dealings with other people. “Heart of Steel” is one of many idioms that use the symbolic place of the heart as the locus of all human feelings as a basis for its meaning.
There are times when a person can use a word or short phrase with the understanding that what is being said is to be taken symbolically, rather than literally. These words or phrases, also known as idioms, can actually have very different intended meanings than what their words could literally denote. After being used in a certain culture for a period of time, their meaning evolves until it is understood by all within the culture. One of the many idioms derived from the workings of the human heart is the phrase “heart of steel.”
This particular idiom implies that the person in question is not going to be moved by any emotional demands on a topic. Conversely, this person will instead ignore such pleas and instead use more objective means to make an important decision. For example, someone might say, “Sometimes when you’re a boss, it’s best to have a heart of steel and not get too wrapped up in how your employees feel.”
Since someone who acts this way is likely never to get too emotional, the phrase can often be used when someone is considered cold towards other people. When used this way, the phrase can also have a negative implication. It can be used in such a way that the person in question can appear mean or evil. For example, consider the sentence: “He must have a heart of steel if he wasn’t at all moved by those poor people’s clemency plea.”
Many idioms are based on how the human heart is perceived as the figurative home of emotions and feelings. The material used to describe the heart is a good indicator of what each of these idioms mean. In this case, the steel is difficult to dent or move. That stillness is transferred to anyone with a “heart of steel.”
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
