heartbeat
/ˈhɑɹtˌbit/ noun B1- One pulsation of the heart; especially an irregular one, hence the emotion which causes it. · The policeman waited for a heartbeat in vain.· He alone gives me such heartbeats.
- The rhythm at which a heart pulsates, a cardiac indicator. · If your heartbeat doesn't normalize soon, consult a doctor!
- A driving impulse or vital force; the vital center of something. · Music is the heartbeat of the people.
- A very short space of time; an instant. · The ambulance arrived in a heartbeat.
- A periodic signal generated by hardware or software to indicate normal operation or to synchronize other parts of a system.
Plural heartbeats
From the library
Jazz is not just music; it is the true heartbeat of the city.
Learn heartbeat in real texts
With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.