ear: Meaning and Definition of

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. crossette.
  8. 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.
    1. a decorative feature at the upper end of a leg.
    2. one of the decorative features at each end of a crest rail.
  9. earphones.
  10. to give all one's attention; listen: We were all ears as the scandal was revealed.
  11. to listen attentively: to bend an ear to a request for aid.
  12. to talk to someone uninterruptedly and often so as to induce boredom: He'll bend your ear for hours if given the chance.
  13. without reference to written or printed music: to play the piano by ear.
  14. to be disregarded; pass unheeded: Their pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.
  15. to pay attention; listen carefully.
  16. to be heard but ignored; be put out of mind: My repeated warnings to her went in one ear and out the other.
  17. to be listening through earphones to a radio, cassette player, telephone communication, or the like.
  18. 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.
  19. to give a person a sound beating; defeat a person utterly: If he doesn't behave himself, I'll pin his ears back.
  20. to cause to dispute or quarrel: He's a troublemaker who keeps trying to set the two other children by the ears.
  21. to excite or stir up; shock; amaze: The presence of the movie star set the whole town on its ear.
  22. to refuse to listen to or consider (a request, petition, etc.): He turns a deaf ear to requests for loans.
  23. deeply involved or occupied to full capacity: We are up to our ears in work.
  24. See(def. 11).

ear

Pronunciation: (ēr), [key]
— n.
  1. the part of a cereal plant, as corn, wheat, etc., that contains the flowers and hence the fruit, grains, or kernels.
—v.i.
  1. to form or put forth ears.

ear

Pronunciation: (ēr), [key]
— v.t. Brit. Dial.
  1. to plow; cultivate.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also:
  • ear (Thesaurus)