ear

[eer]

noun

the organ of hearing and equilibrium in vertebrates, in humans consisting of an external ear that gathers sound vibrations, a middle ear in which the vibrations resonate against the tympanic membrane, and a fluid-filled internal ear that maintains balance and that conducts the tympanic vibrations to the auditory nerve, which transmits them as impulses to the brain.

the external ear alone: The hat completely covers his ears.

the sense of hearing: sounds that are pleasing to the ear.

keen or sensitive perception of the differences of sound, especially sensitiveness to the quality and correctness of musical sounds: an ear for music; a violinist with a good ear.

attention; heed: to gain a person's ear.

any part that resembles or suggests an ear in position or form, as the handle of a teacup.

Architecture. crossette.

Journalism. a small box in either upper corner of a newspaper page, usually the front page or split page, containing the name of or a symbol for the edition, a weather bulletin, a slogan, or the like.

Furniture.

a decorative feature at the upper end of a leg.
one of the decorative features at each end of a crest rail.

ears, Slang. earphones.

ear tuft.

Origin of ear

before 900; Middle English ere, Old English ēare; cognate with Old Norse eyra, German Ohr, Gothic auso, Latin auris, Lithuanian ausìs, Greek oûs

Related formsear·less, adjectiveear·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for fall on deaf ears

ear

noun

the organ of hearing and balance in higher vertebrates and of balance only in fishes. In man and other mammals it consists of three partsSee external ear, middle ear, internal ear Related adjectives: aural, otic

the outermost cartilaginous part of the ear (pinna) in mammals, esp man

the sense of hearing

sensitivity to musical sounds, poetic diction, etche has an ear for music

attention, esp favourable attention; consideration; heed (esp in the phrases give ear to, lend an ear)

an object resembling the external ear in shape or position, such as a handle on a jug

Also called (esp Brit): earpiece a display box at the head of a newspaper page, esp the front page, for advertisements, etc

all ears very attentive; listening carefully

by ear without reading from written music

chew someone's ear slang to reprimand severely

fall on deaf ears to be ignored or pass unnoticed

have hard ears Caribbean to be stubbornly disobedient

a flea in one's ear informal a sharp rebuke

have the ear of to be in a position to influencehe has the ear of the president

in one ear and out the other heard but unheeded

keep one's ear to the ground or have one's ear to the ground to be or try to be well informed about current trends and opinions

make a pig's ear of informal to ruin disastrously

one's ears are burning one is aware of being the topic of another's conversation

out on one's ear informal dismissed unceremoniously

play by ear

to act according to the demands of a situation rather than to a plan; improvise
to perform a musical piece on an instrument without written music

prick up one's ears to start to listen attentively; become interested

set by the ears to cause disagreement or commotion

a thick ear informal a blow on the ear delivered as punishment, in anger, etc

turn a deaf ear to be deliberately unresponsive

up to one's ears informal deeply involved, as in work or debt

wet behind the ears informal inexperienced; naive; immature

Derived Formsearless, adjectiveearlike, adjective

Word Origin for ear

Old English ēare; related to Old Norse eyra, Old High German ōra, Gothic ausō, Greek ous, Latin auris

ear

noun

the part of a cereal plant, such as wheat or barley, that contains the seeds, grains, or kernels

verb

(intr) (of cereal plants) to develop such parts

Word Origin for ear

Old English ēar; related to Old High German ahar, Old Norse ax, Gothic ahs ear, Latin acus chaff, Greek akros pointed

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fall on deaf ears

ear

n.1

"organ of hearing," Old English eare "ear," from Proto-Germanic *auzon (cf. Old Norse eyra, Danish øre, Old Frisian are, Old Saxon ore, Middle Dutch ore, Dutch oor, Old High German ora, German Ohr, Gothic auso), from PIE *ous- with a sense of "perception" (cf. Greek aus, Latin auris, Lithuanian ausis, Old Church Slavonic ucho, Old Irish au "ear," Avestan usi "the two ears").

The belief that itching or burning ears means someone is talking about you is mentioned in Pliny's "Natural History" (77 C.E.). Until at least the 1880s, even some medical men still believed piercing the ear lobes improved one's eyesight. Meaning "handle of a pitcher" is mid-15c. (but cf. Old English earde "having a handle"). To be wet behind the ears "naive" is implied from 1914. Phrase walls have ears attested from 1610s. Ear-bash (v.) is Australian slang (1944) for "to talk inordinately" (to someone).

ear

n.2

"grain part of corn," from Old English ear (West Saxon), æher (Northumbrian) "spike, ear of grain," from Proto-Germanic *akhaz (genitive *akhizaz; cf. Dutch aar, Old High German ehir, German Ähre, Old Norse ax, Gothic ahs "ear of corn"), from PIE root *ak- "sharp, pointed" (cf. Latin acus "husk of corn," Greek akoste "barley;" see acrid).

Medicine definitions for fall on deaf ears

ear

[îr]

n.

The organ of hearing, responsible for maintaining equilibrium as well as sensing sound and divided into the external ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

The part of this organ that is externally visible.

The sense of hearing.

Science definitions for fall on deaf ears

ear

[îr]

The vertebrate organ of hearing, which in mammals is usually composed of three parts: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The organs of balance are also located in the ear.

An invertebrate organ analogous to the vertebrate ear.

ear

[îr]

The seed-bearing spike of a cereal plant, such as corn or wheat.

Culture definitions for fall on deaf ears

ear

The organ of hearing, which also plays a role in maintaining balance. It is divided into the outer ear (from the outside to the eardrum), the middle ear, and the inner ear.

Idioms and Phrases with fall on deaf ears

fall on deaf ears

Be ignored or disregarded, as in Any advice we give them about remodeling seems to fall on deaf ears. This expression transfers physical inability to hear to someone who does not want to listen. [1400s] Also see turn a deaf ear.

ear

In addition to the idioms beginning with ear

early bird catches the worm
early on
early to bed, early to rise (makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise)
earn one's keep
earn one's stripes
ears are burning, one's
ear to the ground, have one's

also see:

all ears
believe one's ears
bend someone's ear
can't make a silk purse out of sow's ear
coming out of one's ears
cute as a button (bug's ear)
fall on deaf ears
flea in one's ear
have someone's ear
in one ear and out the other
lend one's ear
music to one's ears
out on one's ear
pin someone's ears back
play by ear
prick up one's ears
put a bug in someone's ear
turn a deaf ear
up to one's ears
walls have ears
wet behind the ears

ear

noun

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Origin of ear

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Word Origin for ear

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