a change of heart

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Related to a change of heart: have a change of heart

a change of heart

A change in one's opinion or feelings on a matter. She was going to take that job offer in California, but after thinking about how much she would miss her friends and family in Delaware, she had a change of heart. A: "I know you think Pete's a doofus, but don't doubt the sincerity of his affection for me." B: "Actually, I've had a change of heart after seeing how well he treats you." Yeah, we did end up staying at a hotel. We were planning to drive through the night, but exhaustion made us have a change of heart.

See also: change, heart, of

change of heart

Altered feelings or attitude, as in Paul didn't like his new job, but a raise prompted a change of heart and he became quite enthusiastic . [Early 1800s]

See also: change, heart, of

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

a change of heart

COMMON If you have a change of heart, your attitude towards something changes. At the last minute, she had a change of heart about selling it. It had been in her family for generations. The government's change of heart on debt relief for the poorest countries is very good news.

See also: change, heart, of

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

a change of heart

a move to a different opinion or attitude.

See also: change, heart, of

a ˌchange of ˈheart

a change in your attitude and feelings, especially becoming kinder, more friendly, etc: The Government has had a change of heart over the proposed tax reforms and is now prepared to listen to public opinion.

See also: change, heart, of

change of heart, a

Revising one’s opinion, intentions, or feelings. Although the idea is much older, the precise expression dates from the early nineteenth century and was a cliché by 1900 or so. Groucho Marx poked fun at it in the motion picture Duck Soup (1933); when Mrs. Teasdale says, “He’s had a change of heart,” Groucho, playing the role of Firefly, replies, “A lot of good that’ll do him. He’s still got the same face.”