BLEEDING HEART

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bleeding heart mean? 

• BLEEDING HEART (noun)
  The noun BLEEDING HEART has 2 senses:

1. garden plant having deep-pink drooping heart-shaped flowers

2. someone who is excessively sympathetic toward those who claim to be exploited or underprivileged

  Familiarity information: BLEEDING HEART used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BLEEDING HEART (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Garden plant having deep-pink drooping heart-shaped flowers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

bleeding heart; Dicentra spectabilis; lyre-flower; lyreflower

Hypernyms ("bleeding heart" is a kind of...):

herb; herbaceous plant (a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests)

Holonyms ("bleeding heart" is a member of...):

Dicentra; genus Dicentra (North American and Asian herbs with divided leaves and irregular flowers)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who is excessively sympathetic toward those who claim to be exploited or underprivileged

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("bleeding heart" is a kind of...):

sympathiser; sympathizer; well-wisher (someone who shares your feelings or opinions and hopes that you will be successful)

 Context examples 

Bleeding hearts, and dry bones of the churchyard, and tears that burn as they fall—all dance together to the music that he make with that smileless mouth of him.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

For answer he put his hand on my shoulder, and said, with infinite tenderness:—Friend John, I pity your poor bleeding heart; and I love you the more because it does so bleed.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)