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heartbeat

[ hahrt-beet ]

/ ˈhɑrtˌbit /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR heartbeat ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Physiology.

a pulsation of the heart, including one complete systole and diastole.

Origin of heartbeat

First recorded in 1840–50; heart + beat

Words nearby heartbeat

heart-warming, heart-water, heart-whole, heart-wrenching, heartache, heartbeat, heartbreak, heartbreaker, heartbreaking, heartbroken, heartburn

Example sentences from the Web for heartbeat

He became delirious, his heartbeat grew ragged, his blood teemed with the virus, and his lungs, liver and kidneys began to fail.

The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, Dec 8-14, 2014 |William Boot |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It has its own heartbeat and a sincerity and entertainment value, and is quite uplifting.

Pierce Brosnan’s Life After Bond: From Action Hero to Losing His Daughter to Cancer |Tim Teeman |July 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Heartbleed is named after where it was found in OpenSSL's code: an extension controlling something called the “heartbeat.”

How to Mitigate the Damage of the Heartbleed Security Hole |Joshua Kopstein |April 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When I got there, the heartbeat was around 67 and the blood pressure was 55.

Winnie on Nelson Mandela’s Final Moments |The Telegraph |December 13, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

Then, at our last (9 months) prenatal visit, we heard no heartbeat.

Daily Beast Readers React to YouTube Stillborn Baby Memorials |Brandy Zadrozny |November 12, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
While the victim was still able to breathe and his heartbeat remained normal, he was unable to move so much as an eyelid.

Danger in Deep Space |Carey Rockwell
And Mr. Heartbeat, making a supreme effort to live up to his name, did not return with the license blank for nearly eight minutes.

The Seven Darlings |Gouverneur Morris
Other dynamic features such as eye movement, breathing, heartbeat, and perspiration come into play as well.

The Civilization of Illiteracy |Mihai Nadin
He felt the paralysis creep up on him, the waning of heartbeat and lung action.

Duel on Syrtis |Poul William Anderson
He had to slow metabolism down, ease his heartbeat, lower his body temperature, dull his racing brain.

The Sensitive Man |Poul William Anderson

British Dictionary definitions for heartbeat

heartbeat

/ (ˈhɑːtˌbiːt) /

noun

one complete pulsation of the heart See diastole, systole

Medical definitions for heartbeat

heartbeat

[ härt′bēt′ ]

n.

A single complete pulsation of the heart.