deafdeaf /def/ ●●○ W3 adjective 
communication between deaf and hearing people I think Mum’s going a bit deaf. She’s deaf and dumb (=unable to hear or speak) and communicates using sign language. Tom was born profoundly deaf (=having great difficulty hearing).stone deaf/deaf as a post informal (=completely deaf) → hard of hearing, tone-deaf2the deaf [plural] people who are deaf: a school for the deaf3be deaf to something literary to be unwilling to hear or listen to something: She was deaf to his pleas.4turn a deaf ear (to something) to be unwilling to listen to what someone is saying or asking: The factory owners turned a deaf ear to the demands of the workers.5fall on deaf ears if advice or a warning falls on deaf ears, everyone ignores it—deafness noun [uncountable]COLLOCATIONSverbsgo deaf (=become deaf)· By the time he was 50 he had begun to go deaf.be born deaf· If the mother gets the disease, her baby may be born deaf.leave somebody deaf (=cause someone to become deaf)· A blow on the head left him permanently deaf.adverbstotally deaf (=completely deaf)· He was totally deaf, and unable to walk.partially deaf (=partly deaf)· Most children who are partially deaf can be taught in normal schools.stone deaf informal (=completely deaf)· She must be stone deaf if she didn’t hear all that noise!profoundly deaf technical (=completely deaf)· Many profoundly deaf children have great difficulty in learning to read.phrasesas deaf as a post informal (=completely deaf)· He won’t hear you - he’s as deaf as a post.deaf in one ear· The illness left her deaf in one ear.THESAURUSdeaf adjective physically unable to hear anything, or unable to hear well: · Deaf people use sign language to communicate.be hard of hearing to have difficulty hearing things, for example because you are old: · You’ll have to speak up – she’s a bit hard of hearing.· subtitles for the hard of hearinghearing-impaired formal adjective having a permanent physical condition which makes it difficult for you to hear things: · Not all hearing-impaired people are completely deaf.
WORD ORIGINdeaf
Origin:
Old EnglishEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Dad's partially deaf and needs a hearing aid.
- Her second child, Oscar, was born deaf.
- More programmes these days have subtitles for the deaf.
- Mr Farrer, a white-haired man in his fifties, had been stone deaf since he was a child.
- There is no reason why deaf people wouldn't lead perfectly normal lives.
- You'll need to speak quite loudly because my father's going deaf.
- All normal deaf children can develop in the oral system.
- But the union message today is increasingly falling upon deaf ears.
- Does it adequately outline assessment procedures which will identify the needs of the deaf child?
- Found as a baby in Darjeeling, she, too, is deaf.
- Higher education for the deaf receives the same lukewarm support.
- One such group is the deaf.
- That was another of Eunice Snell's theories, that he was a bit weak in the head and probably stone deaf too.
- Washington, that bastion of deaf ears and self-indulgent thinking, is actually trying to relate to the country it represents.
THESAURUS
adjective physically unable to hear anything, or unable to hear well: · Deaf people use sign language to communicate.
to have difficulty hearing things, for example because you are old: · You’ll have to speak up – she’s a bit hard of hearing.· subtitles for the hard of hearing
formal adjective having a permanent physical condition which makes it difficult for you to hear things: · Not all hearing-impaired people are completely deaf.
Longman Language Activatorsomeone who cannot hear · Her second child, Oscar, was born deaf.· There is no reason why deaf people wouldn't lead perfectly normal lives.go deaf (=become deaf) · You'll need to speak quite loudly because my father's going deaf.the deaf (=deaf people) · More programmes these days have subtitles for the deaf.stone deaf/deaf as a post especially British (=completely deaf) · Mr Farrer, a white-haired man in his fifties, had been stone deaf since he was a child.
to be unable to hear well: · My grandfather's a little hard of hearing, so he has the TV on very loud.the hard of hearing (=people who are hard of hearing): · The library provides films with subtitles for the hard of hearing.
not able to hear - use this especially about things that are provided especially for people who cannot hear. Hearing impaired is a more polite word than deaf: · Each lecture will be translated by the signer for the benefit of hearing impaired students.· special classes for hearing impaired children
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs He went crazy and tried to kill her.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
(=become deaf)· By the time he was 50 he had begun to go deaf.
· If the mother gets the disease, her baby may be born deaf.
(=cause someone to become deaf)· A blow on the head left him permanently deaf.
adverbs (=completely deaf)· He was totally deaf, and unable to walk.
(=partly deaf)· Most children who are partially deaf can be taught in normal schools.
informal (=completely deaf)· She must be stone deaf if she didn’t hear all that noise!
technical (=completely deaf)· Many profoundly deaf children have great difficulty in learning to read.
phrases informal (=completely deaf)· He won’t hear you - he’s as deaf as a post.
· The illness left her deaf in one ear.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=be blind, deaf etc when born)
He went crazy and tried to kill her.· People born profoundly deaf, or who become so in early childhood, may well not develop intelligible speech.
· In London alone there are between 5,000 and 6,000 totally deaf adults and children travelling about the roads daily.· That's why he's been picked because his mistress is totally deaf, and partially sighted.
NOUN· The findings are the same in virtually all cases: deaf children lag behind their hearing counterparts.· The deaf children of hearing parents are almost normal in comparison, having everything except language experience.· The numbers of deaf children are decreasing, and some causes such as rubella can be completely eradicated as medical prevention programmes improve.· The latter is a developmental vocabulary primarily used with deaf children with learning difficulties.· Does it adequately outline assessment procedures which will identify the needs of the deaf child?· All normal deaf children can develop in the oral system.· Some deaf children are, however, very proficient at sign language and they can also spell out words using finger spelling.
· Statements on the supposed needs of deaf people can in turn be questioned by members of the deaf community themselves.· They showed the tapes to leaders of the Managua deaf community, who then went to meet with Los Pipitos.· The way they are answered will benefit both hearing and deaf communities alike.· This is a significant action and a great day for the deaf community.· The local mission became the focal point of the deaf community which it served.· Their role and importance within the deaf community, particularly in the early days, are difficult to exaggerate.· Is the hearing community much larger than the deaf community?· On his return he continued his discussions with leaders of the deaf community and other missioners.
· How could people turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to the horrors that they suffered?· Invitations by Paredes to the various governors to second his plan fell on deaf ears.· They may display their feelings by refusing to eat, and turning a deaf ear to anyone who calls their name.· But my suggestions fell on deaf ears.· They formulated a programme of demands, but these fell on deaf ears in Petrograd.· He could not hear me because I was speaking into his deaf ear and the room was abuzz with other conversations.· When John the Baptist appeared his appeal did not fall upon deaf ears.· Thus, year after year, working people turn a deaf ear to union entreaties.
· So it is no surprise that the Milan Conference had a profound long-ranging effect on deaf education.· In the short term, however, the Milan Conference had the beneficial result of placing deaf education on the political agenda.· The state thus assumed responsibility for deaf education but, as we shall see, its advance had a chequered history.
· A meeting of deaf adults was called, and they appointed a deaf man called William Ure as their delegate.· The result was that many deaf men were unable to obtain work.· He was unique amongst deaf men of the early twentieth century.· Unemployed deaf men, who were not in short supply, were employed in that capacity.· It was due to his influence and suggestion that many able deaf men were appointed to do valuable missionary work amongst their fellows.· Often included was a humorous presentation by a deaf man.· He was probably the first deaf man in the world to do so.· After the war, he was made a Freeman of London, again a unique achievement for a deaf man.
· The children were raised by deaf mutes.· The deaf mute said the company would never discriminate against a disabled employee.· But deaf mutes are often treated well, because they have a positive image, Ahmad said.· But deaf mutes and epileptics both have the right to workplace accommodations, Ahmad said.· Using the pen he had bought from the deaf mute, he set about his task with diligence.· The deaf mute nodded once very briefly and then moved on, leaving Quinn with the pen in his hand.
· Like his predecessor, he was a hearing son of deaf parents, and therefore a fluent signer.· Tom Crellin, a hearing son of deaf parents, had followed in his father's footsteps as a missioner.· It is not only deaf parents who could have affected children.· The project has also led to a small midwifery team being established at Wythenshawe Hospital to care for deaf parents.· The research team has also lobbied firms about updating and adapting their video material for deaf parents.
· But perhaps the most important feature which makes communication possible across different sign languages is the shared culture of deaf people.· Do hearing people tend to occupy more influential positions in technology than do deaf people?· This finding suggests close interaction between deaf people belonging to these different groups.· It was full of people with disabilities, deaf people, people in wheelchairs and all manner of others.· On two occasions, deaf people were responsible for saving the lives of the pilots.· There were moments of black humour as well regarding the safety of deaf people in wartime conditions.· His paper gave many examples of high intellectual attainments by various deaf people.· It was made clear that all missioners, superintendents and hearing clergymen interested in deaf people were cordially invited to attend.
· An example is threatening a deaf person.· They shouted as if to a deaf person or an idiot.· The benefit of the system is it only requires the deaf person to have the special electronics and screen.· Given appropriate communications support the deaf person can match the hearing person in most fields.· Anyone can ring the deaf person via an ordinary touch tone telephone.· One deaf person who did come through to play a leading role in deaf affairs was David Fyfe.· The award is given annually to a deaf person of outstanding merit in leadership, citizenship and general achievement.· He remains the only deaf person in Britain ever to be appointed headmaster of a deaf school by a local education authority.
· They had no experience whatsoever of any deaf school.· The first deaf school in Britain opened its doors only in 1764.· He remains the only deaf person in Britain ever to be appointed headmaster of a deaf school by a local education authority.
· And yet young deaf students have great difficulty in getting a place at university.· Can public schools provide sign language interpreters for deaf students attending religious schools?
· They consulted deaf women and their interpreters, and re-evaluated their work, to make sure they were getting it right.· Do you remember Mrs Richards, the deaf woman, played by Joan Sanderson?
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1physically unable to hear anything or unable to hear well: - a school for the deaf
- And with a faintly questioning intonation that fitzAlan would have to be deaf to miss.
- But they are deaf to the rest.
- But what if she were deaf to reason?
- The Daemonette is deaf to reason, and longs only to kill.
- There may be a prophet hidden inside each of us, but we tend to be deaf to such warnings.
- Was it that alienated man was deaf to the language of the hills and valleys, the forests and the shore?
- She wouldn't be keeping the Law if she turned a deaf ear to the call or ran away from it.
- The race committee turned a deaf ear to the objections of Amelia and the other fliers.
- They may display their feelings by refusing to eat, and turning a deaf ear to anyone who calls their name.
- Thus, year after year, working people turn a deaf ear to union entreaties.
- As rioting continued, Mayor Warren appealed for calm, but his words fell on deaf ears.
- His pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.
- The workers' demand for a wage increase has fallen on deaf ears.
- Their requests fell on deaf ears.
- Arguments that some of the skills practised by pupils are obsolete fall on deaf ears, or are heeded only very slowly.
- But my suggestions fell on deaf ears.
- Invitations by Paredes to the various governors to second his plan fell on deaf ears.
- Pleas that the couple and their two young children will be homeless and facing financial ruin have fallen on deaf ears.
- They formulated a programme of demands, but these fell on deaf ears in Petrograd.
- Those words fell on deaf ears.
- Until Friday, such complaints appeared to fall on deaf ears at the Treasury.
communication between deaf and hearing people I think Mum’s going a bit deaf. She’s deaf and dumb (=unable to hear or speak) and communicates using sign language. Tom was born profoundly deaf (=having great difficulty hearing).stone deaf/deaf as a post informal (=completely deaf) → hard of hearing, tone-deaf2the deaf [plural] people who are deaf: a school for the deaf3be deaf to something literary to be unwilling to hear or listen to something: She was deaf to his pleas.4turn a deaf ear (to something) to be unwilling to listen to what someone is saying or asking: The factory owners turned a deaf ear to the demands of the workers.5fall on deaf ears if advice or a warning falls on deaf ears, everyone ignores it—deafness noun [uncountable]COLLOCATIONSverbsgo deaf (=become deaf)· By the time he was 50 he had begun to go deaf.be born deaf· If the mother gets the disease, her baby may be born deaf.leave somebody deaf (=cause someone to become deaf)· A blow on the head left him permanently deaf.adverbstotally deaf (=completely deaf)· He was totally deaf, and unable to walk.partially deaf (=partly deaf)· Most children who are partially deaf can be taught in normal schools.stone deaf informal (=completely deaf)· She must be stone deaf if she didn’t hear all that noise!profoundly deaf technical (=completely deaf)· Many profoundly deaf children have great difficulty in learning to read.phrasesas deaf as a post informal (=completely deaf)· He won’t hear you - he’s as deaf as a post.deaf in one ear· The illness left her deaf in one ear.THESAURUSdeaf adjective physically unable to hear anything, or unable to hear well: · Deaf people use sign language to communicate.be hard of hearing to have difficulty hearing things, for example because you are old: · You’ll have to speak up – she’s a bit hard of hearing.· subtitles for the hard of hearinghearing-impaired formal adjective having a permanent physical condition which makes it difficult for you to hear things: · Not all hearing-impaired people are completely deaf.