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Cross One's Heart

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To make an earnest, truthful promise, traditionally reinforced by the gesture or words “cross my heart” to show sincerity.

Detailed Definition
The phrase traditionally accompanies a pledge of honesty, often sealed by touching the chest. In poetry, it can sound tender, childish, desperate, or solemn depending on the speaker. A crossed heart may suggest faith held against doubt, a vow made beneath stars, or the painful awareness that promises are fragile when time, distance, or betrayal tests them.
Example
Example in poetry:
In a vow poem, the speaker may say, “I cross my heart: the promise will outlive the winter”; The phrase emphasizes sincerity and commitment; A poet might use it ironically when a speaker makes a promise the reader suspects will be broken; Its childlike wording can create tenderness, nostalgia, or doubt.
Additional Notes
To cross one’s heart is to make a serious, sincere promise, often that one is telling the truth. It is frequently paired with “hope to die,” especially in informal speech. The gesture of crossing the heart can emphasize honesty, though the phrase may also be used playfully.
Also Known As
Cross My Heart Cross One's Heart And Hope To Die
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