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# bless your heart

idiom (bless your heart; also bless his/her heart, bless you)

«bless your heart» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (polite, kind) a warm phrase of thanks or sympathy: «how sweet of you».
2. (euphemism, US South) a polite way to say someone is foolish, naive or pitiful, a hidden insult.

### In the lessons

In the southern USA the phrase is famous for hiding a put-down behind a sweet tone: «She tried her best, bless her heart» means «she is not very clever». It is also used sincerely when someone is kind or sad. Everyday, spoken; mostly US South, also UK («bless him»).

### Examples

- You brought me soup? Oh, bless your heart.
- He thinks he can fix the car himself, bless his heart.
- Bless her heart, she has never once been on time.
- Bless your heart for helping your grandma with the shopping.
- Gossip: «She made the cake herself, bless her heart» — and nobody ate it.
- Bless his little heart, he fell asleep in his dinner.
- Oh, bless your heart, you really believed that email?

### Note

Trap: the same words can be warm or a sneer; only the tone and the situation tell you which. It is not a religious blessing in daily talk. Do not confuse with «bless you», said after a sneeze.