Dictionary
ear
Pronunciation: (ēr), [key]—
n.
1. 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.
2. the external ear alone:
The hat completely covers his ears.
3. the sense of hearing:
sounds that are pleasing to the ear.
4. keen or sensitive perception of the differences of sound, esp. sensitiveness to the quality and correctness of musical sounds:
an ear for music; a violinist with a good ear.
5. attention; heed:
to gain a person's ear.
6. any part that resembles or suggests an ear in position or form, as the handle of a teacup.
7. Archit.crossette.
8. 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.
9. Furniture.
a. a decorative feature at the upper end of a leg.
b. one of the decorative features at each end of a crest rail.
10. ears, Slang.earphones.
11. be all ears, Informal.to give all one's attention; listen:
We were all ears as the scandal was revealed.
12. bend an ear, to listen attentively:
to bend an ear to a request for aid.
13. 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.
14. by ear, without reference to written or printed music:
to play the piano by ear.
15. fall on deaf ears, to be disregarded; pass unheeded:
Their pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.
16. give ear, to pay attention; listen carefully.
Also,lend an ear.
17. 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.
18. have one's ears on, Slang.to be listening through earphones to a radio, cassette player, telephone communication, or the like.
19. have or 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.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. set on one's ear or ears, to excite or stir up; shock; amaze:
The presence of the movie star set the whole town on its ear.
23. 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.
24. up to one's ears, deeply involved or occupied to full capacity:
We are up to our ears in work.
25. wet behind the ears. See
wet (def. 11).
ear
Pronunciation: (ēr), [key]—
n.
the part of a cereal plant, as corn, wheat, etc., that contains the flowers and hence the fruit, grains, or kernels.
—
v.i.
to form or put forth ears.
ear
Pronunciation: (ēr), [key]—
v.t. Brit. Dial.
to plow; cultivate.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: - ear (Thesaurus)
- ear (Encyclopedia)
