Definition

1. Verb (phrasal verb):
   • To consider something seriously and be affected by it emotionally: To treat a remark, criticism, or situation with deep personal concern, often allowing it to impact one's feelings or subsequent actions.
   • To take something seriously and learn from it: To internalize advice, a lesson, or feedback, applying it earnestly to one's own behavior or outlook.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • She took his criticism to heart and worked hard to improve. (She was deeply affected by his criticism and used it as motivation to improve.)
  • You shouldn't take every negative comment to heart. (You should not be overly emotionally affected by every piece of negative feedback.)
  • I hope you'll take my advice to heart. (I hope you will consider my advice seriously and act on it.)

Advanced Usage

• "to take something very much to heart": To be extremely affected or troubled by something.
  • He took the failure of the project very much to heart. (He was profoundly distressed by the project's failure.)
• Often used in negative constructions or advice to suggest someone is being overly sensitive.
  • Don't take it to heart; she didn't mean to offend you. (Don't be upset by it; her intention was not to offend.)

Variants and Related Words

• Take to heart is a fixed phrasal verb. Its meaning is distinct from the individual words or .
• Internalize (verb): To make attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors part of one's nature by learning or unconscious assimilation.
  • Children internalize the values of their parents.
• Heed (verb): To pay attention to; to take notice of.
  • He failed to heed the warnings.

Synonyms

• Take seriously: To treat a matter as important.
• Be affected by: To be emotionally influenced by something.
• Internalize: To incorporate within oneself.

Related Idioms

• Take something to heart is itself an idiomatic phrasal verb. A related concept is:
  • Wear one's heart on one's sleeve: To openly show one's feelings or emotions.

    • Because he wears his heart on his sleeve, he tends to take criticism to heart easily. (His open nature makes him susceptible to being hurt by criticism.)

Verb

1. get down to; pay attention to; take seriously
   • Attend to your duties, please