After My Own Heart Meaning
Definition: Sharing the same taste or interests.
Origin of After My Own Heart
This expression appeared around the early 1600s. It is in the King James Bible, in verse 1 Samuel 13:14. It reads,
- The LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
Today, it is common for the phrase to be used with man or woman.
- A man after my own heart.
- A woman after my own heart.
- A girl after my own heart.
- A guy after my own heart.
Examples of After My Own Heart
The dialogue below shows two women discussing their preferences for ice cream sundaes.
Mila: Betty, I’m making myself an ice cream sundae. Would you like one for yourself? I’d be happy to make you one.
Betty: Oh, no thank you. I’m very particular about how I like my ice cream sundaes.
Mila: Nonsense! I have very specific tastes as well, and I’m sure you’ll like my recipe.
Betty: What do you put on it?
Mila: Mine include fresh fruit, warm brownies, chocolate syrup, and a little whipped cream.
Betty: That’s exactly how I like them! You’re a woman after my own heart!
This dialogue shows a couple of roommates talking about what to do on Friday night.
John: Hey Amanda. I hate to do this, but I think I have to skip the party tonight.
Amanda: Really? Why?
John: I’m just not in the mood to socialize. I think I’m just going to make some popcorn and stay home watching movies all night long.
Amanda: That sounds awesome! I’m not feeling that extroverted either. You’re a man after my own heart. I’ll stay home, too, and make some more snacks for us to eat. Maybe quesadillas!
John: Good plan!
More Examples
This excerpt is from an interview with an author. This author loves another author because he thinks they have similar interests.
- I think the moment I probably fell in love with Wallace as a writer was the point where I realized that I was actually meant to be irritated by all of the occasionally crucial footnotes. An author after my own heart, and a genuine modern American diamond in the tradition of Thomas Pynchon, Robert Coover and Gilbert Sorrentino. –New York Times
The second excerpt is about designing office workspaces. The article author believes that a person name McKellar is very similar to her.
- A woman after my own heart, McKellar was inspired by hours spent at the library, and the varied work environments it allowed for. –New York Times
Summary
The expression after one’s own heart describes a person whose hobbies or beliefs match those of another person’s.
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