What does it mean to 'wear your heart on your sleeve' and where did the term come from?

Wear your heart on your sleeve:

Meaning - Display one's emotions openly.

Origin:

This phrase may derive from the custom at middle ages jousting matches. Knights are said to have worn the colours of the lady they were supporting, in cloths or ribbons tied to their arms.

The term doesn't date from that period though and is first recorded in Shakespeare's Othello, 1604. In the play, the treacherous Iago's plan was to feign openness and vulnerability in order to appear faithful:

Iago:
It is sure as you are Roderigo,
Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:
In following him, I follow but myself;
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
But seeming so, for my peculiar end:
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
Othello, Act 1, scene 1, 56-65

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/403000.html

Also, pin one's heart on one's sleeve. Openly show one's feelings, especially amorous ones. For example, You can't help but see how he feels about her; he wears his heart on his sleeve. This expression alludes to the former custom of tying a woman's favor to her lover's sleeve, thereby announcing their attachment. Shakespeare had it in Othello (1:1): "But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at."

http://www.answers.com/Wear%20your%20heart%20on%20your%20sleeve

People who wear their heart on their sleeve express their emotions freely and openly, for all to see. Example: "She is kind of player who never hides how she's feeling. One look at her and you know if she's winning or losing." Reply: "She wears her heart on her sleeve."

You can see how these people feel as easily as if they were "wearing" their "heart" on the "sleeve" of their shirt. Example: "Some people love him and some people hate him, but my brother always lets you know how he feels. He wears his heart on his sleeve."

People who wear their heart on their sleeve do not hold back their emotions, for good or for bad. It is clear how they feel in each moment. Example: "She's a shy person. She's never been one to wear her heart on her sleeve."

http://www.goenglish.com/WearYourHeartOnYourSleeve.asp

From "Brush Up Your Shakespeare!" by Michael Macrone (Gramercy Books, New York, 1990):
"Heart on My Sleeve.

when your heart is displayed so openly, as if upon your sleeve, the 'daws' (jackdaws) will accept the invitation to pick away at it. By admitting to his treachery, Iago would seem, in effect, to 'wear his heart on his sleeve' for Roderigo. Yet, while Iago tells the truth, he doesn't tell all of it, and keeps hidden his true 'native act and figure' - his intention to dupe Roderigo out of even more jewels and cash."

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/4/messages/1360.html

To 'wear your heart on your sleeve' is to show your feelings openly, to be easily read by others. If you're a person who wears your heart on your sleeve, poker is probably not the best game for you to play.

The phrase came about in the Middle Ages from the practice of young men and women drawing names out of a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear the name drawn on their sleeve for a while (I've heard any time from a week to a year).

it means all your feelings and emotions are open for everyone to see or something like that

It means you show how you feel very openly and are not good at covering it up, or prefer to let people know --one of the two, people know how you are feeling or how you feel just by looking at you usually.

It means something like letting others see your emotions clearly, or not holding back on your emotions.

It just means that your emotions are evident to people around you.

They let things get to them too easily. They don't know how to let go of negative feelings and unhappiness. I was told that the expression is "wear their heart on their sleeve."

May end up a lengthy answer here...again.
My experience in China has been interesting and enlightening for many reasons, but one of the most valuable reasons is that I have come to understand the value of not speaking your mind. In fact, it can be a much more viscious tactic than outright honesty. Chinese people will NEVER tell you (honestly) what they are thinking, good or bad, unless you drive them to the outside limits of their patience. I curse alot in the kitchen. It took my cooks two months before they told anyone that they were offended by it and even then they would not tell me; everything is channeled through a third party to avoid direct confrontation. Most passive society I've ever imagined.
So...I hope this example illustrates someone who does NOT wear their feelings on their sleeves. I, on the other hand am someone who does. I'm as easy to read as a billboard. I wear my heart on my sleeve and boy are my arms tired...
Hope that helped.

Pretty much just means that they are really sensitive and take things personally!

As someone who has been told that they wear their heart on their sleeve, let me take a shot at it. It's true that we don't hide our emotions well, so you know what we're feeling by our words, tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, etc. I consider it extreme HONESTY, since trying to lie when you wear your heart on your sleeve is pretty tough. My experience with us "heart on the sleeve" types is that we work well together, since we know we can't hide, or at least for very long.

It means that you do not hold in your emotions very well. People can see your heart is hurting like it is being worn on yoru sleeve, which is visible. In most cases, it is harmful because some people will know how to push your buttons & they know how easily you get upset, in turn they can take advantage of it & know that they can easily affect you. if it's concerning your spouse, bf, or gf, then it's not such a bad thing...unless they like to use that against you to get what they want.

It means the surgeon who gave you a heart transplant did a lousy job.

You are needy for a love.

I always take it to mean you talk too much about personal feelings -- so much that people get tired of hearing it.

It means you too readily express your feelings and deep emotions.

Riff-Raff and Snakelover are correct, but my experience with people who wear their hearts on their sleeves is that they use this transparent emotional persona for manipulation of others. Many people are attracted to the vulnerability of open emotions. Some 'users' exploit this in a terrible way. Be wary of anyone who seems too vulnerable. If they have survived for very long with this open wound, they aren't as wounded as they appears to be.

You show your emotions and don't care who sees

I can always find someone
to say they sympathize.
If I wear my heart out on my sleeve.
But I don't want some pretty face
to tell me pretty lies.
All I want is someone to believe.


The first time I heard this expression was in the song "Honesty" by Billy Joel. Basically, you are very open and forthcoming about your inner self.

I think it can be helpful in certain circumstances, however there are those that will take advantage of knowing the true you and you don't want to wear your heart on your sleeve when it comes to them, you just shut up and save it for the right person.

It means that you aren't hiding or can't hide your feelings. They are 'on your sleeve', out in the open for all to see. You also wouldn't be able to hold back your feelings, freely emotional.

It means that you let other people know what you're thinking or feeling. Not always the best approach, but hey, it's not necessarily a bad thing either!

I have no idea where it came from.

Hope this helps!

It means ltting everyone see you emotionaly. Not hiding how you feel about something.

"On the eve of St Valentine's day the young folks of England and Scotland, by a very ancient custom, celebrated a little festival. An equal number of maids and bachelors get together; each writes their true or some feigned name upon separate billets, which they roll up, and draw by way of lots, the maids taking the men's billets, and the men the maid's; so that each of the young men lights upon a girl that he calls his valentine, and each of the girls upon a young man whom she calls hers. By this means each has two valentines; but the man sticks faster to the valentine that has fallen to him than having thus divided the company into so many couples; the valentine gives balls and treats to their mistresses, wear their billets several days upon their bosom or sleeves, and this little sport often ends in love."

Mission, Quoted in The Book of Days, Vol. I, Edited by R. Chambers, based on 1865.

I have always thought it meant to be easily offended. And like latoya06 said, you can't hide your emotions easily.

I think it means you put your emotions out in the open where everyone can see them.

To talk openly and at length about your emotions even to complete strangers.

i love openly with no excuses and no regrets, ov eis a beautiful feeling and when i feel it i want to shout it out loud so people who care about me can rejoice with me.... the conotation that to wear ones heart on their sleeve is somehow negative and endangering is more harm than the love that is felt.... i am proud t wear my heart on my sleeve towards the one i love and in this day of such disposable marriages and people then to wear ones heart on their sleeve may even keep enriching ones true love for another... nothing wrong with that... i say embrace your heart on your sleeve and more people will feel loved and less people will feel depressed and alone making them vulnerable to mental problems and depression... more people should shout out... hey i LOVE you !!!!!!!!!!!

Ive always heard it said "You wear your heart on you sleeve." (I might be wrong though)
What I think either way it might mean is that you are sensitive. But I dont think that is really these days, a bad way to be.

The closing sutures after the surgery were ineffective?
;-)

It's a phrase used to describe folks who get their feelings hurt very easily, who might cry or become offended very easily. They do not guard their hearts like the "average" individual but instead are rather vulnerable as they lay their inner feelings for the public to see.