† ˈheart-root Obs.
Rarely heart's-root.
[See root n.]
1. (Also pl. heart-roots.) The depth or bottom of the heart; the seat of the deepest emotion or most genuine feelings.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 151 Þe teares þe man wepeð..walleð of þe heorte rotes, swo water doð of welle. a 1300 Cursor M. 14892 He luued þaim in his hert rote. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 471 It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xxxi. 80 He draweth a depe sighe fro the herte rote. 1583 Babington Commandm. iv. (1637) 39 Lamenting the same euen from our heart roots. 1650 S. Clarke Eccl. Hist. i. (1654) 41, I..am sorry from the heart-root. 1822 Scott Nigel xxvii, Bash and Battie, blessings on the heart's-root of ye! |
2. A sweetheart; a beloved one.
| 1522 Skelton Why not to Court 664 He ys the kynges derlyng And his swete harte rote. 1555 Bradford in Coverdale Lett. Mart. (1564) 322 Praye for me myne own hart roote in the Lord. a 1765 Old Robin of Portingale xxvii. in Child Ballads iii. lxxx. (1885) 241/2 Euer alacke, and woe is me, Here lyes my sweete hart-roote! |
3. The tap-root of a tree. rare.
| 1668 Phil. Trans. III. 863 The best [wood] is found in the midst of the Tree, nourish'd by the Heart-root, which goes straight down into the Ground. |
4. ? = heartwort.
| 1617 Minsheu Ductor, Harts-roote, radix cordialis: namque radix hujus herbæ confortat et corroborat cor. |