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Breaking Down This Playful English Idiom
English is filled with vibrant phrases like, “It’s raining cats and dogs” or “You hit the nail on the head.” The phrase “wear your heart on your sleeve” is another example—its meaning isn’t immediately clear from the words alone. In this section, we’ll explore the meaning, origin, and use of the expression, along with some related phrases to help expand your vocabulary.
Key Insights
- To “wear your heart on your sleeve” means to openly display your emotions or to not hide how you feel.
- The idiom was first found in Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello, when the antagonist confesses his misdeeds to the audience.
- Example: “I can always tell how you’re feeling because you wear your heart on your sleeve.”
How to Use It
Definition
This expression refers to openly displaying one’s emotions, making them easy to read. A person who wears their heart on their sleeve doesn’t hide their feelings. You can usually tell how they feel—whether they’re happy, sad, angry, or anything else—by their expressions, words, or behavior. The phrase is often used when talking about romantic feelings, where someone might be obviously infatuated or known for being particularly passionate about love.
- Person 1: “Josh can’t stop smiling whenever Mary’s around.”
- Person 2: “He’s definitely into her. The guy wears his heart on his sleeve.”
History
The first known use of the phrase appears in Shakespeare’s Othello. Written around 1603, the play features the villain Iago, who betrays the main character Othello. Iago says, “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve,” in a moment of confession. Here, Iago uses the phrase to reveal his guilt and invite punishment from others.
- “‘It is as sure as you are Roderigo, / Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago. / In following him, I follow but myself; / Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, / But seeming so, for my peculiar end; / For when my outward action doth demonstrate / The native act and figure of my heart / In compliment extern, ’tis not long after / But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve / For daws to peck at. I am not what I am.’”
The expression may have origins in medieval festivals. During the Middle Ages, Emperor Claudius II banned marriage, believing that single men made better soldiers. However, once a year, he allowed single men to randomly choose a lady to partner with for the duration of a festival. The man would then wear her name on his sleeve.
- In this context, “wearing your heart on your sleeve” literally meant displaying the name of your romantic partner on your sleeve.
The expression may also trace back to the medieval sport of jousting. Jousting, where two knights tried to unseat each other from their horses, was a popular event during the Middle Ages. Some historians suggest that knights, while competing, might have honored ladies of the royal court by wearing a token from them, such as a handkerchief or a flower.
- At that time, the word “sleeve” was also used to refer to a piece of armor worn on the arm.
How to Use the Expression
Use the phrase to refer to someone who openly displays their emotions. Some people are very transparent with their feelings. If you have a friend whose emotions are always apparent, you might say they wear their heart on their sleeve. There are many ways someone might show emotion—through body language, speech, or even through their art and hobbies.
- “I could tell something was wrong when you came home; you always wear your heart on your sleeve.”
- “I admire how you show your emotions so openly! I wish I could wear my heart on my sleeve like you do.”
Use “wearing your heart on your sleeve” to describe someone who can’t hide their crush. The phrase is often used when talking about someone in love, particularly if they are unable to conceal their attraction. Whether it’s a crush or a new romance, people who are in love often wear their hearts on their sleeves.
- “He makes me so happy, I just can’t help but wear my heart on my sleeve and tell everyone about him.”
Other Related Expressions
"I’m laying all my cards on the table." To say you’re “putting your cards on the table” means to openly share your plans or intentions, often in a straightforward and honest manner. The expression likely comes from card games, where players reveal their cards to others in the game.
- “I’m laying all my cards on the table—I have feelings for you.”
"I’m an open book." When someone says they are “an open book,” it means that others can easily understand them or know a lot about them. An open book is a person or thing that doesn’t hide much and is very transparent.
- “Stacy’s an open book; she’ll tell you everything about her life if you just ask.”
"They’re revealing their true colors." To “show your true colors” means to make your real feelings or thoughts known, often revealing something negative or unexpected. It’s commonly used when someone’s true nature becomes clear.
- “He said he liked me, but he showed his true colors when he asked her to prom instead.”
