1986年全国研考中有这样一道题：
One should never lose one's heart when ____ (confront) with temporary difficulties. (试题要求填入 confronted) 查 lose one's heart 意为: “爱上” “喜欢上” “倾心于”。这似乎与句意不符, 这是怎么回事呢?
lose one's heart 确实作“爱上”“喜欢上”“倾心于”解。例如：
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She lost her heart to the soldier with the broad shoulders and the deep voice. (DAI) 她爱上了那个肩膀宽阔、声音浑厚的战士。
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I doubt if we shall see my brother back in England. I've just had a letter from him. He's at
Taormina, and he has so lost his heart to the place that he has actually bought a house there. 我说不准我们能否看到我兄弟回到英国。我刚收到他的信。他现在在塔俄明拉，他喜爱这个地方，他在那里确实买下了一幢房子。
当 lose 与 heart 直接搭配时(lose heart)，则作“灰心”“泄气”“气馁”“丧失信心”解：
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Tony tried again and again in vain, so he lost heart. 托尼尝试了一次又一次，但都失败了，所以他丧失了信心。
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So don't lose heart, whatever you do. (Wells) 所以不管你做什么事，都不要气馁。
由上面的例子可以证明上面试题的出题者用错了 lose one's heart。
与此相类似,下列各组短语在含义上也有很大的差别:
take...to heart(把……放在心上,牢牢记住,介意)
take...to one's heart(非常喜欢)
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He took his friend's advice to heart. (DAI) 他认真听取了朋友的忠告。
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I shouldn't take that to heart, if I were you. (Snow) 如果我是你, 我是不会在乎这件事的。
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She took the little stray kitten to her heart immediately. 她一下子就爱上了这个小野猫了。