From the bottom of my heart
What does it mean?
If you do something from the bottom of your heart, you mean it very sincerely. For example, when someone says “I love you from the bottom of my heart” they mean that they are very sincere about this. In other words, they are not saying it just because they want something, but because they really feel this.
In this phrase, we can see that the heart is considered a place from which our feelings resonate. We see this with other idioms such as “to let the heart decide”. The word ‘bottom’ also suggests a feeling which is deep rather than superficial.
Where does it come from?
This phrase seems to date back to Virgil’s Aeneid (29-19 BC) although it’s first known use in English is in the 16th Century. The phrase was published in a prayer book in the 1540s as “to be content to forgive from the bottom of his heart”.
How can I use it?
Nowadays, the most common use of from the bottom of my heart is to thank somebody. This can be done in numerous ways, such as:
- I’d like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
- From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything.
- I’m very grateful from the bottom of my heart.
Another common use is to apologise or express regret:
- From the bottom of my heart, I’m so sorry.
- I truly apologise from the bottom of my heart.
- I regret it from the bottom of my heart.
We can also use this phrase to express our love for someone, although this has perhaps fallen out of favour as it has become something of a cliché. This is probably something you would find in a card, or a declaration of love from a celebrity for their fans. For example:
- I love you from the bottom of my heart.
- From the bottom of my heart, I love each and every one of you.
What are some examples?
- From the bottom of my heart, I’d like to thank every single person who made tonight’s event possible.
- I’m sorry, I didn’t know your mother had passed away. My deepest condolences, from the bottom of my heart.
- I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my fans. You’re amazing and I love you all from the bottom of my heart.
What are some similar or related expressions?
Don’t Miss A Thing!
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