Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
hearts and minds. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
hearts and minds, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
hearts and minds in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
hearts and minds you have here. The definition of the word
hearts and minds will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
hearts and minds, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From the idea that one needs to persuade people, that is, to win their hearts and change their minds.
Noun
hearts and minds pl (plural only)
- People's private feelings and emotions, now especially those of a local population towards an invading or occupying military force.
1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 211:As experienced political officers, Sir William Macnaghten and Sir Alexander Burnes should have been aware of what was going on in Afghan hearts and minds, but relations between the two men had become badly strained.
2006, Will Fowler, Britain's Secret War: The Indonesian Confrontation 1962-66, Osprey Publishing, page 15:apart from road patrols they worked with the infantry and SAS, patrolled rivers in canoes, and carried out 'hearts & minds' programmes in the villages.
2012 April 30, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, The Guardian:Unlike in Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan, in Yemen they are trying to implement sharia by winning over the hearts and minds of the people.
2018 November 3, Hassan Hassan, “The Arab Winter Is Coming”, in The Atlantic:In defense of moderation, he proposed simply stomping out religious radicals. (In American terms: shock and awe, rather than hearts and minds.)