by heart
by heart (metaphor/idiom)
/baɪ hɑːrt/
Synopsis
The idiom “by heart” refers to knowing or memorizing something completely so that it can be recalled perfectly without looking at it. It first appeared in 14th-century England and reflects the old belief that the heart was the seat of memory and understanding.
Variants
- know by heart
- learn by heart
- commit to memory
- know something by rote
Meanings
- To memorize something completely.
- To know something perfectly from memory without looking at it.
- To learn something word for word through repetition.
- (Older sense) From deep and sincere feeling.
Synonyms: from memory; memorized; word perfect; verbatim; by rote; commit to memory.
Example Sentences
- Emily knew the entire poem by heart after practicing it every evening for a week.
- Daniel delivered his speech by heart without glancing at his notes.
- The students learned their state capitals by heart before the history quiz.
- He thanked the audience by heart, speaking with genuine emotion.
Etymology and Origin
The idiom “by heart,” denoting the act of memorizing something thoroughly for recitation without aids, emerges from longstanding cultural associations between the heart and cognitive faculties. In antiquity, particularly among the Greeks, the heart was regarded not merely as an emotional center but as the primary organ for intelligence and retention, influencing linguistic expressions that linked memory to this vital organ. This conceptual framework persisted into medieval Europe, where the phrase evolved as a calque from the French “par cœur,” literally meaning “by the heart,” reflecting a shared belief in the heart’s role in internalizing knowledge beyond superficial learning.
Historical Evolution
By the late Middle Ages, the expression had integrated into vernacular English usage, appearing in literary contexts to convey profound internalization rather than rote repetition. Its variant forms, such as those implying mechanical recall, gained traction alongside the primary sense, underscoring a distinction between heartfelt comprehension and mere mechanical reproduction. Over centuries, the idiom retained its core implication of effortless recall, adapting to educational and performative practices where texts were committed to memory as a mark of mastery, thus embedding itself in the lexicon of learning and performance.
Geographical Origins
The phrase originated in England during the Middle English period, drawing on Anglo-Norman linguistic influences while rooting itself in the island’s literary traditions. This English formulation distinguished itself from continental parallels, though it echoed broader European ideas about the heart’s intellectual significance, ultimately crystallizing within the cultural milieu of fourteenth-century England where manuscript culture and oral recitation flourished.
Earliest Printed Record
The idiom’s initial appearance in print occurs in the 1532 edition of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, a narrative poem composed around 1385 but first disseminated widely through William Thynne’s collected works of the author. In Book V of the text, the phrase materializes in the line:
“she also told all the prophecies by heart,”
It illustrates Criseyde’s recounting of omens with unerring precision. This publication, issued in London, marks the idiom’s transition from manuscript exclusivity to broader accessibility, preserving Chaucer’s innovative application in a form that influenced subsequent English print culture.
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