heartbeat
heartbeat Lexical Profile
heartbeat Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A single complete pulsation or contraction and dilation cycle of the heart, or the continuous rhythmic sound and motion of the heart pumping blood.
"The doctor used a stethoscope to listen carefully to the patient's steady heartbeat."
A very brief moment or instant of time, especially in the phrase 'in a heartbeat'.
"If given the opportunity to study abroad in Rome, she would accept the offer in a heartbeat."
The vital center, driving force, or animating essence of a community, organization, or activity.
"Small family-owned shops and cafes remain the cultural heartbeat of the historic neighborhood."
A periodic signal generated by hardware or software to indicate normal operation or to synchronize other parts of a computer system.
"The cluster manager monitors the server's network heartbeat to detect any sudden hardware failures."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 19th century as a compound of the Old English roots 'heorte' (heart) and 'beatan' (to beat or strike).