figurative. Of the heart: To ‘break’ by the shock or pressure of grief, or by the swelling of emotion.

Of the heart: to become overcome with sorrow. Cf. to break a person's heart at heart, n. int.adv. phrases 3a(a).

figurative and hyperbolical. intransitive. Esp. of the heart: to break or burst with sorrow. Now rare.

intransitive. Of the heart: to break or burst with sorrow. rare.