ear

[ eer ]

/ ɪər /

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.

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"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?

Question 1 of 10

decorum

the act of or need for making up one's mind.

dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.

a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.

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Idioms for ear

be all ears, Informal. to give all one's attention; listen: We were all ears as the scandal was revealed.

bend an ear, to listen attentively: to bend an ear to a request for aid.

bend someone's ear, Informal. to talk to someone uninterruptedly and often so as to induce boredom: He'll bend your ear for hours if given the chance.

by ear, without reference to written or printed music: to play the piano by ear.

fall on deaf ears, to be disregarded; pass unheeded: Their pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.

give ear, to pay attention; listen carefully.Also lend an ear.

go in one ear and out the other, to be heard but ignored; be put out of mind: My repeated warnings to her went in one ear and out the other.

have/keep one's ear to the ground, to keep well-informed about current trends; be shrewd or astute: Because she had her ear to the ground, she made a large fortune in stock speculation.

have one's ears on, Slang. to be listening to a CB radio, police radio, walkie-talkie, etc.

pin someone's ears back, Slang. to give a person a sound beating; defeat a person utterly: If he doesn't behave himself, I'll pin his ears back.

set by the ears, to cause to dispute or quarrel: He's a troublemaker who keeps trying to set the two other children by the ears.

set on one's ear/ears, to excite or stir up; shock; amaze: The presence of the movie star set the whole town on its ear.

turn a deaf ear to, to refuse to listen to or consider (a request, petition, etc.): He turns a deaf ear to requests for loans.

up to one's ears, deeply involved or occupied to full capacity: We are up to our ears in work.

wet behind the ears. wet(def 19).

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

OTHER WORDS FROM ear

ear·less, adjectiveear·like, adjective

Words nearby ear

eam, eames, eames chair, eanling, eap, ear, ear canal, ear candy, ear drops, ear fungus, ear lobe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for fall on deaf ears (1 of 2)

ear¹

/ (ɪə) /

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 forms of ear

earless, adjectiveearlike, adjective

Word Origin for ear

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

British Dictionary definitions for fall on deaf ears (2 of 2)

ear²

/ (ɪə) /

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

Medical 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.

Scientific definitions for fall on deaf ears (1 of 2)

ear¹

[ 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.

Scientific definitions for fall on deaf ears (2 of 2)

ear²

[ îr ]

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

Cultural 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 (1 of 2)

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.

Idioms and Phrases with fall on deaf ears (2 of 2)

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

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ear

noun

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

Idioms for ear

Origin of ear

OTHER WORDS FROM ear

Words nearby ear

British Dictionary definitions for fall on deaf ears (1 of 2)

noun

Derived forms of ear

Word Origin for ear

British Dictionary definitions for fall on deaf ears (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for ear

Medical definitions for fall on deaf ears

n.

Scientific definitions for fall on deaf ears (1 of 2)

Scientific definitions for fall on deaf ears (2 of 2)

Cultural definitions for fall on deaf ears

Idioms and Phrases with fall on deaf ears (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with fall on deaf ears (2 of 2)