ear1
Pronunciation: /ɪə/
noun
- the organ of hearing and balance in humans and other vertebrates, especially the external part of this.
- an organ sensitive to sound in other animals.
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- used to refer to a person’s willingness to listen to others: she offers a sympathetic ear to worried pet owners
- The ear of a mammal is composed of three parts. The outer or external ear consists of a fleshy external flap and a tube leading to the eardrum or tympanum. The middle ear is an air-filled cavity connected to the throat, containing three small linked bones that transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The inner ear is a complex fluid-filled labyrinth including the spiral cochlea (where vibrations are converted to nerve impulses) and the three semicircular canals (forming the organ of balance)
Phrases
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be all ears
- informal be listening eagerly: I’m all ears, tell me about it
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bring something (down) about one's ears
- bring misfortune on oneself: she brought her world crashing about her ears
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one's ears are burning
- one is subconsciously aware of being talked about or criticized: certain officials in the police department will find their ears are burning before long
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grin (or smile) from ear to ear
- smile broadly: you’ll come out of the show grinning from ear to ear
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have something coming out of one's ears
- informal have a substantial amount of something: that man’s got money coming out of his ears
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have someone's ear
- have access to and influence with someone: he claimed to have the prime minister’s ear
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have (or keep) an ear to the ground
- be well informed about events and trends: the good leader has his ear to the ground and will know when real doubts are growing
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in one ear and out the other
- heard but quickly forgotten: whatever he tells me seems to go in one ear and out the other
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listen with half an ear
- not give one’s full attention: her husband listened to her with half an ear as he watched television
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be out on one's ear
- informal be dismissed ignominiously: if this cheque bounces, you’re out on your ear
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reach someone's ears
- be heard or heard about by someone: the sound of running feet reached my ears one of those stories reached our ears
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up to one's ears in
- informal very busy with: I’m up to my ears in work here
Origin:
Old English ēare, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch oor and German Ohr, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin auris and Greek ous