What’s “break your heart” mean?

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“Break your heart” is an English idiom used to describe extreme sadness or upset, often in romantic relationships. It has become a popular phrase in poetry and song and can be used in various situations beyond romance. Idioms are impactful language that acquires meaning separate from literal words.

“Break your heart” is an English idiom that describes someone who has been made extremely sad or upset by someone or something else. The most common use of this idiom comes in terms of romantic relationships that ended badly for one person involved. Also, people may use the phrase on occasions where there is no romance involved, especially if they are deeply saddened by some event. This phrase gets its meaning from the fact that the heart is often considered the organ of the human body that contains feelings of love.

There are often many different ways a person has at their disposal to say essentially the same thing. While it would be good to simply use the actual words that mean what they are meant to convey, there are times when more colorful and impactful language can be more effective. As examples of this type of language, idioms are phrases that acquire a meaning that can be very separate from the literal meaning of the words they contain. The popular use of these phrases within a culture gives idioms their accepted meanings. “Break your heart” is one of the most popular idioms used to describe a romantic calamity.

Obviously, someone who is literally heartbroken would have serious medical problems. That severity is where the idiom gets its powerful meaning. As an example of how it’s used, imagine someone saying, “If he leaves you after all this time you’ve been together, it’s really going to break your heart.”

Of course, there are many occasions that call for the use of this idiom, even if there is no end to the relationship. For example, a death in the family can leave someone “heartbroken.” The use of the expression has been extended so that it is used in much less serious situations. In this sense, it would not be unlikely for a sports fan to say, “You should never expect that team to win the championship; in the end they will break your heart.”

As the phrase is romantic in nature, it is a very popular idiom for both poetry and song. Both of these methods of artistic expression often tend towards exaggerated and colorful expressions needed to convey deep emotion. As such, “break your heart” is especially apt for those occasions. The idiom has become one of the most popular idioms in the entire English language, especially when the similar ‘broken heart’ idiom is also taken into consideration.




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