have a heart

Idioms  

1. Be merciful, show pity; also, be reasonable. For example, Have a heart—I can't pay you back until next month, or Have a heart and stop your arguing now. This expression is often put as an imperative, as in the examples. [c. 1900] Also see harden one's heart.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

have a heart

"I have a heart condition, I'm diabetic and I feel it a lot," he said, after coming out in the cooler early hours to do his shopping.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

Just like having high cholesterol doesn’t mean you will have a heart attack, having biomarkers like amyloid doesn’t mean you’re going to develop Alzheimer’s disease, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026

You’d have to have a heart of stone not to laugh.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 26, 2025

Research also suggests that elderly patients are more likely to have a heart attack following an infection - although it is less conclusive.

From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2025

“I’ll have a heart attack. I’ll drop dead. I’m an old man.”

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols