earear /ɪə $ ɪr/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 
part of your body [countable] one of the organs on either side of your head that you hear with: 
She tucked her hair behind her ears.long-eared/short-eared etc a long-eared rabbit2grain [countable] the top part of a plant such as wheat that produces grainear of an ear of corn3smile/grin etc from ear to ear to show that you are very happy or pleased by smiling a lot: She came out of his office, beaming from ear to ear.4reach somebody’s ears if something reaches someone’s ears, they hear about it or find out about it: The news eventually reached the ears of the king.5to somebody’s ears used when saying how something sounds to someone: It sounds odd to the ears of an ordinary English speaker.6[singular] the ability to learn music, copy sounds etcear for She has no ear for languages at all. a good ear for dialogue7a sympathetic ear used to say that someone listens sympathetically to what someone is saying: He’s always prepared to lend a sympathetic ear.8close/shut your ears to something to refuse to listen to bad or unpleasant news: You can’t just close your ears to their warnings. → turn a deaf ear at deaf(4), → fall on deaf ears at deaf(5)9be all ears informal to be very keen to hear what someone is going to tell you: As soon as I mentioned money, Karen was all ears.10be out on your ear informal to be forced to leave a job, organization etc, especially because you have done something wrong: You’d better start working harder, or you’ll be out on your ear.11be up to your ears in work/debt/problems etc to have a lot of work etc12have something coming out (of) your ears informal to have too much of something: We’ve got pumpkins coming out our ears this time of year.13keep your/an ear to the ground to make sure that you always know what is happening in a situation14keep your ears open to always be listening in order to find out what is happening or to hear some useful information: I hope you’ll all keep your eyes and ears open for anything unusual.15go in (at) one ear and out (at) the other informal if information goes in one ear and out the other, you forget it as soon as you have heard it: I don’t know why I tell her anything. It just goes in one ear and out the other.16give somebody a thick ear British English informal to hit someone on the ear: Behave yourself or I’ll give you a thick ear!17have somebody’s ear to be trusted by someone so that they will listen to your advice, opinions etc: He claimed to have the ear of several top ministers.18play something by ear to play music that you have heard without having to read written music → see also play it by ear at play1(11)19somebody’s ears are burning used to say that someone thinks that people are talking about them20somebody’s ears are flapping British English spoken used to say that someone is trying to listen to your private conversation → dog-eared, → bend somebody’s ear at bend1(7), → send somebody off with a flea in their ear at flea(2), → make a pig’s ear of at pig1(5), → prick (up) your ears at prick1(5), → wet behind the ears at wet1(7)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesbig· African elephants’ ears are bigger than those of Indian elephants.floppy (=soft and hanging down loosely, rather than being stiff)· a rabbit with big floppy earspointy/pointed· The dog has short pointy ears.pierced (=with a hole in the skin where an earring can be put)· Her new boyfriend’s got long hair and pierced ears.somebody’s left/right ear· She is deaf in her right ear.inner/middle ear (=the parts inside your ear, which you use to hear sounds)· I’ve got an infection in my middle ear.verbssay/whisper something into somebody’s ear· He whispered something into his wife’s ear.have your ears pierced (=have a hole put into the skin, so that you can wear an earring)· I had my ears pierced when I was quite young.somebody’s ears stick out (=they are noticeable because they do not lie flat against someone’s head)· If my hair is too short, you can see that my ears stick out.somebody’s ears pop (=the pressure in them changes suddenly, for example when you go up or down quickly in a plane)· My ears finally popped when the plane landed.
WORD ORIGINear
Origin:
1,2 Old English eare3 Old English earEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Pick up a few ears of corn for dinner tonight.
- Stop shouting in my ear!
- And then the day after we got our record contract, I went to Selfridges and had both my ears pierced.
- And you never meant it for my ears, that's sure.
- Gone her neat bun; her hair hung loose, tucked behind her ears.
- Shrugging the collar higher around tingling ears he thought of Carrie.
- Simultaneously his ears unblocked and the world again became audible.
- The silence seemed to swell in her ears.
- Well, she would play it by ear.
Longman Language Activatorto suddenly forget something
spoken use this to say that you know a name or word, but you are having difficulty remembering it at that moment: · That place we visited in Paris, what's it called? It's on the tip of my tongue.
spoken if a name, detail, fact etc escapes you, you forget it for a very short time but you know you will remember it soon: · I know I've heard this song before but its name escapes me.· Although I know that the novel was published in the nineteenth century, the actual date escapes me.
spoken if you can't place someone or something, you recognize them but have forgotten their name or where you met them before: · I'm sure I've seen him before, but I just can't place him.· Her perfume seemed so familiar but he couldn't place it
if your mind goes blank you are suddenly unable to remember something at a time when you need it: · That's... Oh, my mind's gone blank -- I can't remember her name.· My mind goes blank when I have to take a test.
British to forget what you were going to say or what you are supposed to say when speaking or acting, especially because you are nervous: · I dried up just as I was about to talk, even though I had been preparing the speech for weeks.· There was one worrying moment where one of the actors seemed to dry up for a few seconds.
if details, a piece of information etc go in one ear and out the other , you forget them very quickly because you are not interested or not listening properly: · She understands nothing about football so it all goes in one ear and out the other.· He was trying to explain the assignment to me but it just went in one ear and out the other.
so interested that you give all your attention to something so interested in something that you give it all your attention and do not notice or pay attention to other things: absorbed in: · Penny and Sam were so absorbed in their game, that they didn't hear me call.· Dad was obviously far too absorbed in his own difficulties to be interested in mine.· I saw Bill walking across the park, absorbed in his own thoughts.
extremely interested by a book, film, event etc or by what someone is saying, so that you cannot stop reading, watching, listening etc: · It was a brilliant documentary. I sat absolutely riveted from beginning to end.· I was completely gripped as soon as I opened the book. gripped/riveted by: · We stopped the car, riveted by the sight of a village wedding in progress.
extremely interested in something such as a book or your work, so that you do not notice anything that is happening around you: · As she worked, she became so engrossed that she lost all sense of time.engrossed in: · Jane was sitting in bed, engrossed in a novel.· They appeared to be engrossed in their conversation and I didn't want to disturb them.
to be too interested in something, so that you cannot stop thinking about it or spending your time on it: · He spends all his time fiddling about with cars - he's completely obsessed.obsessed by/with: · As an artist, he was obsessed with sex and death.· People seem to be obsessed by health issues these days.become obsessed: · She became obsessed with the idea of making money.
very interested and excited by a story or by something that you see or hear, so that you give all your attention to it: · From the opening line of the play, the audience was completely enthralled.listen/watch etc enthralled: · We listened enthralled as she told us the story of her life.enthralled by: · I was completely enthralled by the world of the theatre, and knew that I wanted to act.
also mesmerised British unable to stop looking at something or listening to someone because they completely keep your attention: · She stood there mesmerized as he picked up the gun and turned it slowly towards her.mesmerized by: · It was as if the audience was completely mesmerized by the small figure on the stage.
so interested by something, especially something strange or wonderful, that you are unable to move or think of anything else: listen/watch/wait etc spellbound: · Millions of Japanese listened spellbound as they heard the Emperor speak in public for the first time.spellbound by: · On clear nights we were spellbound by the strange flickering of the Northern lights in the sky.held somebody spellbound: · The Firebird is a magical ballet that still holds audiences spellbound.
spoken to be extremely interested in what someone is telling you, and listen very carefully to it: · Tell me exactly what happened. I'm all ears.· Everyone was all ears as soon as I mentioned a cash prize.
to play music to make music on a musical instrument: · Do you play in an orchestra?· Charles likes to play Celtic music on his flute.play the piano/trumpet/drums etc: · I didn't know you could play the violin.
formal to sing or play music in front of people who have come to listen: · She still gets very nervous about performing in public.· The orchestra will be at the Festival Hall tonight, performing a selection of works by Russian composers.
playing a particular instrument in a band: · When they perform, Barbara sings and her older sister Suzie is on drums.· The recording features Norman Simmons on piano and Henry Johnson on guitar.
to perform music by creating it from your imagination while you play or sing: · You can't play jazz unless you can improvise.· Mike improvised a little farewell song at the end of the evening.
to play jazz or rock music with other people in an informal way, without planning what you are going to play: · Some guys are getting together tonight at Scott's to jam.jam with: · Matthews used to jam with drummer Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore.jam session (=an occasion when a group of musicians jam): · All-night jam sessions were common in Kansas City jazz clubs of the 1930s.
to play a song or piece of music from memory without reading the written music: · He never took piano lessons - he just plays by ear.· With the Suzuki method, a child is trained to play by ear at an early age without any written music.
to not try to plan things, but deal with them as they happen to not worry about or plan for something that has not happened yet, but decide what to do when it happens: · I always think the best way of approaching an interview is to take it as it comes.take things as they come: · The only way to manage when you have small kids is to take things as they come.take life as it comes/take each day as it comes: · If I were you, I'd just enjoy each day and take life as it comes.
spoken to not make plans about how to deal with a particular situation, but decide to wait until it actually happens and hope that you will know what to do then: · "Shall we tell Dad what's happened?" "Let's play it by ear and see what sort of mood he's in."· We've booked the flight, but not the accommodation -- we'll play it by ear when we get there.
to not plan very far in the future because you have too many problems now to be able to think about what may happen later: · Since Jim got ill, we've just had to live from day to day.· There's nothing as depressing as living from day to day, as the unemployed are forced to do.
if you deal with a problem or difficult situation one day at a time , you try to think about just what is happening in the present and do not try to plan what you will do in the future: · I've no idea where we'll live. Anyway, one day at a time.take/live one day at a time: · In order to overcome their addiction, they have to learn to take one day at a time.
WORD SETSalfalfa, nounarable, adjectivebarley, nounbran, nouncacao, nouncanker, nouncash crop, nouncassava, nouncereal, nouncocoa, nouncorn, nouncrop, nouncrop-dusting, nouncrop rotation, nouncrop-spraying, nouncultivate, verbcultivated, adjectivecultivation, nouncultivator, noundrill, noundrill, verbear, nounfertilize, verbfertilizer, nounfield corn, noungerminate, verbglean, verbgrain, noungranary, noungrower, nounharvest, nounharvest, verbharvester, nounhay, nounhayloft, nounhaystack, nounhorticulture, nounkernel, nounlift, verbmaize, nounmalt, nounmarket garden, nounmillet, nounoats, nounorchard, nounorganic, adjectiveplant, verbplantation, nounpotato, nounproduce, nounpropagate, verbprune, verbreap, verbrice, nounrice paddy, nounripe, adjectiveroot crop, nounrotate, verbrye, nounryegrass, nounscion, nounseason, nounseed, verbseedbed, nounsheaf, nounsisal, nounsorghum, nounsow, verbsprout, nounstraw, nounstubble, nounsugar beet, nountaro, nountill, verbtillage, noununripe, adjectivevegetable, nounvineyard, nounviticulture, nounwheat, nounwindfall, nounwinnow, verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives an ear of corn (=the top part of this plant where the seeds grow) We’ll see what the weather’s like and play it by ear. We hope always to provide a friendly sympathetic ear (=someone willing to listen to someone else’s problems). His warning fell on unresponsive ears (=was not listened to). To the untutored ear, this music sounds as if it might have been written by Beethoven. ‘I’ve missed you,’ he whispered in her ear.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· African elephants’ ears are bigger than those of Indian elephants.
(=soft and hanging down loosely, rather than being stiff)· a rabbit with big floppy ears
· The dog has short pointy ears.
(=with a hole in the skin where an earring can be put)· Her new boyfriend’s got long hair and pierced ears.
· She is deaf in her right ear.
(=the parts inside your ear, which you use to hear sounds)· I’ve got an infection in my middle ear.
verbs· He whispered something into his wife’s ear.
(=have a hole put into the skin, so that you can wear an earring)· I had my ears pierced when I was quite young.
(=they are noticeable because they do not lie flat against someone’s head)· If my hair is too short, you can see that my ears stick out.
(=the pressure in them changes suddenly, for example when you go up or down quickly in a plane)· My ears finally popped when the plane landed.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES an ear of corn (=the top part of this plant where the seeds grow)· The illness left her deaf in one ear.
(=someone who can make good judgments about art or music)
(=grin very widely)
· She was given antibiotics for an ear infection.
We’ll see what the weather’s like and play it by ear. (=try very hard to hear or see) I strained my ears, listening for any sound in the silence of the cave.
I strained my ears, listening for any sound in the silence of the cave. We hope always to provide a friendly sympathetic ear (=someone willing to listen to someone else’s problems). His warning fell on unresponsive ears (=was not listened to). To the untutored ear, this music sounds as if it might have been written by Beethoven. ‘I’ve missed you,’ he whispered in her ear.· How could people turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to the horrors that they suffered?· The race committee turned a deaf ear to the objections of Amelia and the other fliers.· Arguments that some of the skills practised by pupils are obsolete fall on deaf ears, or are heeded only very slowly.· Invitations by Paredes to the various governors to second his plan fell on deaf ears.· In such cases, tests show that only the ear on the side of the blue eye is deaf.· Fine words, but they are falling on increasingly deaf and indifferent ears.· They formulated a programme of demands, but these fell on deaf ears in Petrograd.· But my suggestions fell on deaf ears.
· I could not deny what I heard with my inner ear.· Now that Kwong could see, he found redness in the inner ear, a sign of infection.· There are various causes of damage to the inner ear - for example, exposure to loud noise.· Vibrations or sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate and these vibrations move through the middle ear to the inner ear.· As age increases, the inner ear becomes less sensitive to high frequencies.· In the inner ear they are changed into electrical messages.· The head vein is dotted, the labyrinth of the inner ear is black.· I heard in my inner ear what I wanted to hear and the rest ... well, it went down!
· In his left ear he wore a small ring.· He wore a blue baseball cap backward and a gold hoop in his left ear.· Then he leaned forward and whispered something into his left ear.· A cherry bomb had blown up near her left ear when she was eight years old.· She dug the nail of her little finger deeply in behind the left ear.· Tilt the head until your left ear is over the left shoulder, then release.· The knot in his tie was somewhere up behind his left ear.· The bloody gash behind his left ear had been cut with a machete.
· When the cause of deafness is not solely in the outer and/or middle ear, high frequencies are likely to be affected.· In fact, an ear infection alone can cause sudden severe pain as fluid builds up in the middle ear.· Removal can cause unnecessary complications to the middle and internal ear.· Vibrations or sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate and these vibrations move through the middle ear to the inner ear.· Mean hearing thresholds are related mainly to the presence or absence of fluid in the middle ear.· Three rats in the low fibre diet group suffered from middle ear infections and were removed from the study.· An inflammation in the middle ear called otitis media can cause temporary or even permanent hearing loss.· Microtympanometry, a sensitive method of diagnosing effusions of the middle ear, could help them in this.
· Luckily the timely intervention of Trevor Proby's left boot into my right ear quickened everyone's resolve to reach a compromise.· He slammed one callused finger into his right ear.· Her biro was stuck behind her right ear.· Jack settled next to my right ear after giving the cab a brief whirl or two.· He was due to be put down because he did not have the right ears for a show class pedigree corgi.· He lowered the volume inside his right ear and made the few careful steps from his room into the hall.· From her right ear there dangled a long silver cascade of tiny orbs.· Next to her right ear she could hear his breath, a shallow snuffle.
· His profession would surely mean that he would listen to my request with a sympathetic ear.· For all of its own bureaucratic strictures, the diplomatic corps had the sympathetic ears that Liang was looking for.· The general wards were packed with acute cases and, although I received a sympathetic ear, no one really wanted to know.· If disaster strikes again, he expects to find a sympathetic ear at the White House.· Our sinister cop is able to exploit that weakness by offering a sympathetic ear.· She offers advice, information and sometimes just a sympathetic ear to worried pet owners of Cleveland.· There had always been a sympathetic ear for her clients, and she longed to pour out all her troubles right away.· I dread having to go through the sympathetic ear act, even when it's merited.
NOUN· Adenoidectomy will considerably reduce the overall duration of glue ear.· Finally, parents of children with glue ear should be advised to stop smoking.· Discussion Our previous work and that of others has shown the spontaneous resolution of glue ear in the short term.· Our study shows the long term spontaneous resolution of severe glue ear in children.· They base their recommendations on an analysis of 19 randomised controlled trials that examined the effectiveness of surgical interventions for glue ear.· I recommend that anyone interested in glue ear should read it, but carefully.· Successful treatment of glue ear by attention to underlying allergic disease has been previously reported.· The combined adenoidectomy and ventilation tube groups had the shortest duration of glue ear.
· Ears and nose produce a horrible, stinking, green discharge; ear infection with rupture and suppuration.· The single-dose ceftriaxone treatment has not yet been approved for ear infections by the Food and Drug Administration.· The best approach is to use acute remedies as soon as the ear infection starts.· In fact, an ear infection alone can cause sudden severe pain as fluid builds up in the middle ear.· She had an ear infection and she told the doctor, but it was the first I'd heard of it.· A lingering ear infection got him grounded.· Take care to be gentle, since these ear infections are intensely irritating and painful.· Additionally, many people report stomach upsets, ear infections and rashes after coming into contact with the lake water.
· Weapons and other devices hung within his blood-red, high-collared cloak; and a communicator dangled from one ear lobe.· He tugged his ear lobe, our agreed sign for the other to remain silent.· Nicola moved her lips along Richard's neck and nuzzled his ear lobe delicately.· He studied the Gascon's dark effete face and the jewel-encrusted pearl which swung arrogantly from one ear lobe.
VERB· Scarcely able to believe his ears, Ramsay listened to this shameful catalogue.· I can not believe my ears.· I couldn't believe my ears but she repeated it: I realized I had not properly understood my own needs.· I could hardly believe my ears.· But she could believe her ears.· But ministry specialists believe that ear tags will be compulsory for all lambs exported for slaughter.· Mr Dixon could hardly believe his ears as Hank poured into them the story of the book and its apparent success.
· These professional persuaders will spend an estimated two million pounds to bend the ears of the governing party.· And there she would bend and put an ear to the earth.· I think some of the older managers and tenants have been bending his ear a bit about the problems of setting up catering.
· Sleep, he heard a voice say, close by his ear.· He tried to close his ears to the plea.· Don't close your ears to the world and don't give up.· I closed my ears and tried to close my mind to what was happening.· She wanted to close her ears to it.· I had lost two teeth, one eye was closed, and an ear torn.· At first, I closed my ears to what I did not want to hear.· A girl couldn't close her eyes and ears to it, but she could keep herself pure.
· She slid her hands round her head from covering her ears to covering her eyes.· I tried to cover my ears with them.· Without the hair covering the ears and that shell belt and all he wasn't some one you would stare at.· She knew, and covered her ears with her fists to keep from hearing them come from his mouth.· Pooley covered his ears. 14 Small Dave lay in his hospital bed for some days before the doctors released him.· Then you saw how long his hair was, almost covering his ears, and how clean-shaved looking his face was.· They laughed, stopped playing and covered their ears.
· Hair is cut to the ears and the fringe finger ruffled.· Then cut off all the ears and stick them all on a piece of paper.· The man's throat had been cut from ear to ear, soaking his shirt and trousers in blood.· Van Gogh cut off his ear.· Artists wear berets and smocks and cut their ears off.
· This wide disposition yielded felicitous effects of colour and tone which always fell pleasingly on the ear.· The modulated, rhythmic braying of that mule fell upon his ears.· But his words fell on unresponsive ears.· Invitations by Paredes to the various governors to second his plan fell on deaf ears.· The house is falling down around our ears.· But my suggestions fell on deaf ears.· As he did so, a fine trickle of sawdust appeared to fall from his ear to the floor.
· He was grinning from ear to ear and pointing his finger up to the flies.
· The government is appealing to business to pick up the slack, but there are few ears to hear.· She strained her ears but could hear nothing.· Next to her right ear she could hear his breath, a shallow snuffle.· Keeping her ears open, she heard the outer door open, then close.· As we talked, we stopped once in a while and strained our ears to hear.· Then, Shit, meant to reach no farther than the chamber where his ears hear his voice from the inside.
· All of you - walk around Pentonville and keep your ears open.· You keep putting your ear to the ground, waiting to hear that Warrior jubilee train.· He kept his ear to the ground and he spent a lot of time in his office after hours.· That means keeping one's ears and eyes open, it means not looking away but acting as a witness.· Prosperity came to Knock, as pilgrims came from far and wide; and Father Cavanagh kept his ears.· The man's head was designed to keep his ears apart.· Cousin Noreen had been keeping her ears wide open as usual, and she told him what she'd managed to find out.· Spit down the back, an epileptic fit, a jostling. Keep your ears open.
· Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.· He finds time for them, always being prepared to lend a sympathetic ear or give some friendly confidential advice.
· I listened with the ear of a novelist.· Help us to listen with your ears.· So the priest would listen, ears agog, eyes agape.· How did their results differ when they listened with one ear and with two?
· Well, she would play it by ear.· The biggest criticism of Suzuki is going from playing by ear to the note-reading process.· I play by ear I use my loaf I suspect fair play.· At 2, he played the piano by ear.· This was one he would have to play by ear.· So each played it by ear, with resulting policy shifts that often appeared to be not only sudden but incomprehensible.· He heard jazz records at home when very young and played piano by ear.· I had started playing by ear and chutzpah.
· Henry pushed his door open a crack, and pricked up his ears.· I pricked my ears up on that one.· He pushed back a long, greasy spike of hair that kept slipping down and pricking his ear.· I pricked up my ears, and sure enough, the sound was getting louder.· The horse, scenting home and supper, pricked his ears and stepped out.· The boy pricked up his ears, because, as it happened, so they were this earth.· Yet it was that touring and the inspired mania of their shows that pricked up the ears at Arista Records.
· The rumours must have reached Richard's ears - indeed they may have been primarily intended for him.· You give a passage for loving words to reach loving ears.· Even after the Renaissance and the rebirth of learning had reached these shores ears were still having a rough ride.· But the powerful resonance of a marine mammal exhaling through its blowhole again reaches my ears.· Two microphones, one in each ear of a dummy or human head, pick up the sound reaching the ears.· Then ask them to try to tell you how the sound was produced and how it reached their ears.· The noise they said, wouldn't reach the sow's ears, but South Oxfordshire District Council turned the idea down.· It was a rocket, gone the instant the sound reached our ears.
· The noise still rang in his ears.· There was a ringing in his ears.· Lucy's advice rang in her ears.· I ended up with ringing ears.· And with those echoes ringing in my ears I booked up my day - and contemplated my fate.· The triumph of their compromise still rang in their ears.· In the end, the men returned with the praises of the generals ringing in their ears.· Another sign of danger is tinnitus, a condition usually characterized by a ringing in the ear after listening.
· We crowded round the table, straining our ears for the magic sounds, while Robert adjusted the cat's whisker.· Tak, said the stone against her straining ear.· She strained her ears but could hear nothing.· As we talked, we stopped once in a while and strained our ears to hear.· She spoke softly, directing her remarks exclusively at Karelius and Moreau, so that the others were obliged to strain their ears.· He stood tensed, straining his ears.· She found she was straining her ears for the musical clang of the town church bells.· He - An alien noise stopped her thoughts mid-flow, and she tensed, straining her ears to recapture the sound.
· They may display their feelings by refusing to eat, and turning a deaf ear to anyone who calls their name.· The race committee turned a deaf ear to the objections of Amelia and the other fliers.· Nothing for it. Turn a deaf ear, look the other way.· Thus, year after year, working people turn a deaf ear to union entreaties.· She wouldn't be keeping the Law if she turned a deaf ear to the call or ran away from it.· These horses turn their ears sideways, with the opening facing the ground, deliberately, cutting off auditory input.
· And go away they did, only turning back to snap Koo whispering into my ear.· Sometimes when this is whispered in the ears of those near death, tears roll down their cheeks.· Little Billy began to hear somebody whispering in his ear.· She whispers in my ear and hints at marvelous discoveries.· Hillary whispered in his ear and took his speech out of her pocket.· A couple of Negro characters whispered in my ear about tea.· Several people have been whispering in my ear lately about Michael's drug-taking.· The black suited auctioneer was frowning, while whispering in her ear.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► be up to your ears in work/debt/problems etc► have something coming out (of) your ears► give somebody a thick ear► somebody’s ears are flapping► reach somebody’s ears► to somebody’s earsPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► bend somebody’s ear► box somebody’s ears► clip somebody round the ear/earhole► send somebody off with a flea in their ear► lend an ear► make a pig’s ear of something► prick (up) its ears► make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear► talk somebody’s ear off► give somebody a thick ear/get a thick ear► walls have ears► wet behind the ears
1- Taler says she tried to offer the student a sympathetic ear.
- For people with mental health problems, a sympathetic ear and understanding is an essential part of their rehabilitation.
- His profession would surely mean that he would listen to my request with a sympathetic ear.
- If disaster strikes again, he expects to find a sympathetic ear at the White House.
- It may be essential for you to have a sympathetic ear if you run into difficulties.
- Our sinister cop is able to exploit that weakness by offering a sympathetic ear.
- She offers advice, information and sometimes just a sympathetic ear to worried pet owners of Cleveland.
- The general wards were packed with acute cases and, although I received a sympathetic ear, no one really wanted to know.
- There had always been a sympathetic ear for her clients, and she longed to pour out all her troubles right away.
- At first, I closed my ears to what I did not want to hear.
- Claudia sank down on to her bed and tried to shut her ears to the sound of him in the next room.
- Don't close your ears to the world and don't give up.
- He tried to close his ears to the plea.
- Rincewind tried to shut his ears to the grating voice beside him.
- She heard the boys hurling abuse at her, shouting to her to stop, but she shut her ears to them.
- She wanted to close her ears to it.
- Sometimes she even managed to shut her ears to the arguments going on around her.
- Everyone was all ears as soon as I mentioned a cash prize.
- Go ahead, I'm all ears.
- Tell me exactly what happened. I'm all ears.
- If you keep taking two-hour lunches, you'll be out on your ear.
- He, of course, will be out on his ear.
- Not at all: King went too far and was out on his ear in an overnight boardroom coup in 1968.
- She was no more secure than she'd ever been - one mistake, and she'd be out on her ear!
- I haven't heard any more news, but I'll keep my ear to the ground.
- All of you - walk around Pentonville and keep your ears open.
- They had a kid copper keeping his ears open.
- It goes in one ear and out the other.
- He used to boast to his friends that he often had the President's ear.
- As he has no political party that can provide him with practical support, he is forced to play it by ear.
- At 2, he played the piano by ear.
- But the government is having to play it by ear.
- He heard jazz records at home when very young and played piano by ear.
- So each played it by ear, with resulting policy shifts that often appeared to be not only sudden but incomprehensible.
- Well, she would play it by ear.
- I bet your ears were burning - Tom and I were just talking about you.
- My ears are burning in the cold, but there's nothing I can do about it.
- Father smiled from ear to ear, and he and I both ate like fiends.
- He was grinning from ear to ear and pointing his finger up to the flies.
- Randolph, smiling from ear to ear, quickly dressed into warm clothes and set out towards the toy factory.
- Standing at the kitchen counter, shuffling his feet to the music, he caught himself smiling from ear to ear.
- I couldn't believe my ears when she told me the cheapest flight was $1,100.
- You might get a clip round the ear.
- She cocked an eye at Léonie, grunted.
- 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.
- And remember - if you're using eye drops for your hay fever, leave your contact lenses out.
- Both eye irritation and redness are helped with lubricating eye drops and eye ointments.
- Sterile eye drops can be purchased for this purpose.
- That was the other thing, it took me a long fight to get my eye drops.
- They also have literature on the correct use of things such as eye drops and inhalers.
- This has distinct advantages over using eye drops.
- I like jazz because it's usually easy on the ear.
- Above all, it should be as physically comfortable and relaxing as it is easy on the eye.
- And frankly, she's pretty easy on the eyes, too.
- Garda Garda is a charming old village that is very easy on the eye.
- It's all been a bit too easy on the ear and eye.
- It was vital that they should be prompt and professional as well as easy on the eye.
- Ken Russell's production is certainly easy on the eye, but fans are expecting a bit more than a well-turned ankle.
- The layout and print is easy on the eye and the revision passages for dictation becomes increasingly difficult as the book progresses.
- This exhibit, Without Sanctuary, is not easy on the eyes.
- Allen kept half an eye on the path as he worked.
- Always half an ear, half a mind.
- Anyone with half an eye could see Susan's antagonism towards her.
- He has half an eye on where the gun went.
- He told me this and that, but I listened with only half an ear.
- Of course, no government with half an eye on re-election would ever legalise anything it didn't have to.
- She always had half an eye for him; sometimes I thought she watched him as a tamer does a tiger.
- With only half an ear for Grigoriev's response, Rostov stared across the room.
- Johnson's decision was music to the ears of the Women's Center directors.
- Even the deliberate discords were music to her ears.
- It was music to his ears.
- That was music to their ears as they counted up to twenty-two explosions.
- All of you - walk around Pentonville and keep your ears open.
- By then keeping her eyes open was less of an effort.
- Go back to bed only when you can no longer keep your eyes Open.
- Remembering his duty, he strode briskly up the stairs, keeping his eyes open for any suspicious signs.
- Swing the boat south, keep her eyes open.
- The basic rules of self-defence are quite simple: keep your eyes open and you can usually avoid trouble.
- The daily firings produced by the withering economy offered loopholes of opportunity for a young man who kept his eyes open.
- You know how to keep your eyes open and your mouth shut.
- I am a female, mid-twenties and happen to have my nose pierced with one small silver ring.
- As he has no political party that can provide him with practical support, he is forced to play it by ear.
- At 2, he played the piano by ear.
- But the government is having to play it by ear.
- He heard jazz records at home when very young and played piano by ear.
- So each played it by ear, with resulting policy shifts that often appeared to be not only sudden but incomprehensible.
- Well, she would play it by ear.
- Henry pushed his door open a crack, and pricked up his ears.
- I pricked my ears up on that one.
- I pricked up my ears, and sure enough, the sound was getting louder.
- The boy pricked up his ears, because, as it happened, so they were this earth.
- The horse, scenting home and supper, pricked his ears and stepped out.
- My father's discouraging words still ring in my ears.
- And with those echoes ringing in my ears I booked up my day - and contemplated my fate.
- His reply astounded me, and will ring in my ears for eternity.
- In the end, the men returned with the praises of the generals ringing in their ears.
- Lucy's advice rang in her ears.
- The noise still rang in his ears.
- The triumph of their compromise still rang in their ears.
- The words ring in my ears.
- There was a ringing in his ears.
- We must not shut our ears to the voices of suffering people.
- Claudia sank down on to her bed and tried to shut her ears to the sound of him in the next room.
- Rincewind tried to shut his ears to the grating voice beside him.
- She shut her eyes against it all; shut her eyes to open them again on to the harmless horizon.
- She shut her eyes to shut everything out.
- She heard the boys hurling abuse at her, shouting to her to stop, but she shut her ears to them.
- Sometimes she even managed to shut her ears to the arguments going on around her.
- They could not shut their eyes to the ugly and degrading side of wine-drinking and see only the delightful side.
- But he knew what he was looking at, though to the untrained eye it was just a pile of minuscule fragments.
- A word in the ear of the Weatherfield constabulary.
- His resolve ends when again he wakes at dawn with prophetic words in his ears.
- If I were you I'd drop a quiet word in her ear before it's too late.
- Mixed blessings' A word in your ear.
part of your body [countable] one of the organs on either side of your head that you hear with: She tucked her hair behind her ears.long-eared/short-eared etc a long-eared rabbit2grain [countable] the top part of a plant such as wheat that produces grainear of an ear of corn3smile/grin etc from ear to ear to show that you are very happy or pleased by smiling a lot: She came out of his office, beaming from ear to ear.4reach somebody’s ears if something reaches someone’s ears, they hear about it or find out about it: The news eventually reached the ears of the king.5to somebody’s ears used when saying how something sounds to someone: It sounds odd to the ears of an ordinary English speaker.6[singular] the ability to learn music, copy sounds etcear for She has no ear for languages at all. a good ear for dialogue7a sympathetic ear used to say that someone listens sympathetically to what someone is saying: He’s always prepared to lend a sympathetic ear.8close/shut your ears to something to refuse to listen to bad or unpleasant news: You can’t just close your ears to their warnings. → turn a deaf ear at deaf(4), → fall on deaf ears at deaf(5)9be all ears informal to be very keen to hear what someone is going to tell you: As soon as I mentioned money, Karen was all ears.10be out on your ear informal to be forced to leave a job, organization etc, especially because you have done something wrong: You’d better start working harder, or you’ll be out on your ear.11be up to your ears in work/debt/problems etc to have a lot of work etc12have something coming out (of) your ears informal to have too much of something: We’ve got pumpkins coming out our ears this time of year.13keep your/an ear to the ground to make sure that you always know what is happening in a situation14keep your ears open to always be listening in order to find out what is happening or to hear some useful information: I hope you’ll all keep your eyes and ears open for anything unusual.15go in (at) one ear and out (at) the other informal if information goes in one ear and out the other, you forget it as soon as you have heard it: I don’t know why I tell her anything. It just goes in one ear and out the other.16give somebody a thick ear British English informal to hit someone on the ear: Behave yourself or I’ll give you a thick ear!17have somebody’s ear to be trusted by someone so that they will listen to your advice, opinions etc: He claimed to have the ear of several top ministers.18play something by ear to play music that you have heard without having to read written music → see also play it by ear at play1(11)19somebody’s ears are burning used to say that someone thinks that people are talking about them20somebody’s ears are flapping British English spoken used to say that someone is trying to listen to your private conversation → dog-eared, → bend somebody’s ear at bend1(7), → send somebody off with a flea in their ear at flea(2), → make a pig’s ear of at pig1(5), → prick (up) your ears at prick1(5), → wet behind the ears at wet1(7)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesbig· African elephants’ ears are bigger than those of Indian elephants.floppy (=soft and hanging down loosely, rather than being stiff)· a rabbit with big floppy earspointy/pointed· The dog has short pointy ears.pierced (=with a hole in the skin where an earring can be put)· Her new boyfriend’s got long hair and pierced ears.somebody’s left/right ear· She is deaf in her right ear.inner/middle ear (=the parts inside your ear, which you use to hear sounds)· I’ve got an infection in my middle ear.verbssay/whisper something into somebody’s ear· He whispered something into his wife’s ear.have your ears pierced (=have a hole put into the skin, so that you can wear an earring)· I had my ears pierced when I was quite young.somebody’s ears stick out (=they are noticeable because they do not lie flat against someone’s head)· If my hair is too short, you can see that my ears stick out.somebody’s ears pop (=the pressure in them changes suddenly, for example when you go up or down quickly in a plane)· My ears finally popped when the plane landed.