Main meanings of ear in English

ear¹

Pronunciation /ɪə/

Translate ear into Spanish

noun

1The organ of hearing and balance in humans and other vertebrates, especially the external part of this.
‘If the growth is large, then it may have caused more damage and this sometimes leads to some loss of hearing in the affected ear.’
- ‘Surgeons are sometimes able to preserve some hearing in the ear being operated on, but this is rare.’
- ‘The balancing mechanism in the ear can be tested in various ways using vestibulometric tests.’
- ‘Whales and pigeons can hear frequencies of sound far below the capacity of the human ear.’
- ‘Middle ear infections and fluid in the ear are the most common causes of temporary hearing loss in children.’
- ‘Whispering softly into the patient's ear or holding a softly ticking wristwatch close to the ear can be helpful in making a gross evaluation of hearing.’
- ‘Eighteen months on, Oliver, now three, has no hearing in his left ear and limited hearing in his right ear.’
- ‘Within a few days, he completely lost hearing in his left ear.’
- ‘One night, a moth flew into my mom's ear while she was washing dishes.’
- ‘Tyler stood out even from this group with five earrings on each ear, two eyebrow rings on each eyebrow, four lip rings, and two tongue pierces.’
- ‘Why scratch your left ear with your right hand?’
- ‘"Mom," he said, plugging one ear with his index finger to hear her better.’
- ‘So, she settled for plugging one ear with her finger and the other by squishing it against her shoulder.’
- ‘"I don't like this…" he muttered as he placed his sensitive ear against the door.’
- ‘I was so embarrassed that I could feel my ears burn red!’
- ‘I noticed that the girl's ears had reddened with embarrassment.’
- ‘I woke with my alarm sounding in my ear like every morning.’
- ‘He unconsciously leaned his ear towards the sound reverberating through the guitar and nodded as he tuned.’
- ‘Faith held the phone to her ear, listened to it ring, and waited for someone to pick up.’
- ‘I'm 31, and got my left ear pierced a couple of years ago.’
organ of hearing
View synonyms
1. 1.1An organ sensitive to sound in other animals.
  ‘They have a tragus, which can be folded back to seal the opening of the ear when the animal digs.’
  ‘In many ways, the cetacean ear is radically different from the ear of terrestrial mammals.’
  ‘Then she would have leaned over and stroked the mare's neck whispering sweet nothings in her ear as the animal pranced.’
  ‘The UK tag will show the flock number followed by the individual animal number and it is recommended that the tag is placed in the left ear of the animal.’
  ‘They then tattoo the inside of the ear of animals that they spay and neuter so that they do not try to operate more than once on the same stray animal.’
  ‘The very sad-looking pooch with one blue eye and one floppy ear on the story lead page is our beloved Luna.’
  ‘The voice is familiar to her and her cat ears perk up at the sound.’
  ‘At that point the sensitive hound ears picked up another presence and he bounded over to greet me.’
  ‘There was a wolf sitting on the gleaming linoleum outside the office, head cocked, ears pricked.’
  ‘Suddenly he tensed, his sharp wolf ears picking out movement in the sand.’
2. 1.2in singular An ability to recognize, appreciate, and reproduce sounds, especially music or language.
  ‘ an ear for rhythm and melody’
  ‘But with near sensory overload of sound, music and colour, not having an ear for the Danish language didn't matter.’
  ‘In fact, it sounded so good that it seemed as though someone with an ear for classical music was at the helm of this company and so we decided to investigate.’
  ‘He was also a magnificent writer with an ear for language and a wonderful imagination, and a fine poet to boot.’
  ‘He also has an ear for sampling, using horns and steel drums as needed.’
  ‘Mom has a very finely tuned ear for music and languages.’
  ‘A good sound technician and composer with an instinctive ear for music is vital.’
  ‘Hamilton delighted in Emma's ear for languages and music, and her theatrical flair, and in 1791 he contentedly married her.’
  ‘Over the years, these keen listeners have developed an ear for every political innuendo and insinuation.’
  ‘It's a major work, an announcement from someone with an eye for beauty amidst squalor and an ear for the very real cadences of very specific slang and dialect.’
  ‘‘You know me, Michael, I have an ear for the truth as good as you do,’ Gilbert said.’
  ‘The film was written by Laurence Coriat, who has an ear for the sort of unadorned, matter-of-fact dialogue that says a lot by what it leaves out.’
  ‘The duo play multiple instruments and both have an ear for finding rhythm tracks by recording clocks ticking, bells ringing and lawnmowers mowing.’
  ‘He loves the English language and has a keen ear for its music.’
  ‘When describing settings, Petry has an eye for details, and when creating characters, an ear for dialogue.’
  ‘My mom, being the rich socialite that she was, had an ear for gossip.’
  ‘The truth is he had no ear at all, and could not even carry a tune.’
  ‘He's also got a pretty good ear for what makes an ear-pleasing folk song.’
  ‘I had not a good voice nor, I confess it, a very good ear.’
  ‘Brennan has a keen ear for dialogue, and the exchanges between Virginia and her family demonstrate this extremely well.’
  ‘A sensitive ear for voicing is needed to project the songful melodies effectively wherever they turn up in the texture.’
  appreciation, discrimination, perception, musical taste
  View synonyms
3. 1.3Used to refer to a person's willingness to listen to others.
  ‘she offers a sympathetic ear to worried pet owners’
  ‘"I'm there as a chaplain to listen with a sympathetic ear to any concerns they may have, " Yee said.’
  ‘If I didn't have a shoulder to lean on or a compassionate ear willing to listen to me rant, I might've been tempted to quit.’
  ‘As for you, the membership, many of you have offered an ear to listen, time to reflect, and many hours of friendship and support.’
  ‘He had spent more time around her, doing nice things for her and just offering her a lending ear to listen to her and a shoulder to cry on when she needed it.’
  ‘They are offering a sympathetic ear to farmers suffering in the present weather crisis.’
  ‘Teenagers caught up in the turmoil of their parents' messy divorce are being offered a sympathetic ear by a new service in Winchester.’
  ‘Trey listened with a patient ear, only making distance with the receiver when she whined or couldn't make out her blubbering.’
  ‘Vaughn listened with a patient ear, leaning back in his seat, asking a question or two when it was necessary.’
  ‘Sometimes you needed a friendly ear to listen to your troubles and worries and tell you that everything was going to be alright.’
  ‘He's gone all soppy, crying because he misses Saskia and being a kind ear to listen to all Craig's miserable longings.’
  ‘She offers a sympathetic ear and reassuring guidance.’
  ‘What the bride needs more than anything else during this time is someone who will offer a sympathetic ear and practical advice.’
  ‘The third did offer a sympathetic ear but no practical solutions, other than to suggest to the claimant that he should prioritise his work.’
  ‘No matter what you're talking about, the spinning red VRML cube has the patience to sit by and listen with an open ear.’
  ‘In this instance all I can offer is company, a sympathetic ear and warm hugs - even if only from a distance at the moment.’
  ‘It offered not only a sympathetic ear but also structured advice on what to do next, and helped us through the maze of local authority and social services applications.’
  ‘He has been attending the Doctors and Dentists Group for many years, finding it a vital help, offering practical guidance and a sympathetic ear.’
  ‘Just a couple of carefully worded questions, delivered in his soft Welsh voice, and patients would pour out their symptoms to his sympathetic ear.’
  ‘The girl he talked to was a listening ear, someone willing to share in his anxiety about an undeniably unsettling situation.’
  ‘She listened with an eager ear, thirsty for knowledge of a life better than her own.’

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

around one's ears

Used to emphasize how directly a disastrous collapse or failure affects someone.
‘you can do the best research and write the most impressive business plan, and it can still fall around your ears’
- ‘she brought her world crashing about her ears’

be all ears

informal

Be listening eagerly.
- ‘I'm all ears, tell me about it’
- ‘As an epileptic, I was all ears and I listened to her telling me her symptoms.’
- ‘Our reporter was all ears, but heard only silence - as the figure was written down and discreetly handed to the magistrates.’
- ‘The audience were all ears when the teams crooned ditties from the golden 80s.’
- ‘We were all ears after he had announced himself and flashed his warrant card.’
- ‘When Disney approached Stravinsky with the idea of using Le Sacre as part of Fantasia, the composer was all ears.’
- ‘This Wednesday night, in the packed meeting room of the West Richmond Community Centre, the crowd is all ears.’
- ‘Kassi tells Liam of how she and Isabelle became friends and Liam is all ears.’
- ‘He has been telling versions of his for years, and the media have been all ears.’
- ‘If Bose's idea has merit, auto manufacturers will be all ears.’
- ‘If positive news on cord stem cells continues, doctors, patients, and investors will be all ears.’

be out on one's ear

informal

Be dismissed ignominiously.
- ‘if this cheque bounces, you're out on your ear’
- ‘In due time the supporters, media, and players, it seems, turned against him, and he was out on his ear as the team headed for a summer tour in the US.’
- ‘I've been having a bit of a laugh with a few of the regulars at the pub about who I'm going to let in if there's a disaster and who is out on their ear.’
- ‘In Ireland, meanwhile, you can be out on your ear within 28 days and your rent can rise by as much as your landlord likes.’
- ‘We've lived together for the past two years and certainly if I don't ask her within the next couple of years I'll be out on my ear.’
- ‘Why bother putting myself into this incredibly precarious occupation where I could be out on my ear within a year or two?’
- ‘I think in both those cases he might well be out on his ear.’
- ‘And then at the end of the season, his contract expires and if he has not done enough to convince the coaches that he can operate at this level, he could be out on his ear.’
- ‘She was out on her ear because she misled the public.’
- ‘Anyone who creates any problems is out on his ear.’
- ‘At the rate he is going, it looks like his strategy could backfire and he could soon be out on his ear.’

grin from ear to ear

Smile broadly.
‘you'll come out of the show grinning from ear to ear’
- ‘At the end of the evening, Dick was smiling from ear to ear to see just hooks on the walls where his artworks used to hang because that means they have been sold.’
- ‘‘It's all sorted’ Sky replies, smiling from ear to ear.’
- ‘‘When we saw her in the pet store, we just knew she was the dog for you,’ my mom continued, smiling from ear to ear.’
- ‘I was smiling from ear to ear as I looked around her room. ‘Sarah?’’
- ‘Shivering later from the cold, but smiling from ear to ear, he said he felt ‘excellent, very happy’ about the engagement.’
- ‘I know Eddie was watching from above that night and I guarantee he was smiling from ear to ear at the respect that was shown to him both from the wrestlers as well as the fans.’
- ‘‘It's so exciting to get to meet him,’ she said, smiling from ear to ear as she gripped his hand.’
- ‘Despite many scrapes and cuts, he was smiling from ear to ear.’
- ‘But before he could answer, Chloe appeared at their table, smiling from ear to ear, with Jason at her side.’
- ‘I was smiling from ear to ear; I hadn't been that happy in - I hadn't been that happy for years.’

have 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’
- ‘I understand that righteous anger fuels the funny, and that you have to work at keeping an ear to the ground and respond to what the audience wants to hear.’
- ‘So what if Sven has been keeping an ear to the ground about what might be next for him?’
- ‘The experts in transport, who have an ear to the ground, concur that many countries that held on to the railway system have been wiser than the ones that closed them to save money.’
- ‘They kept an ear to the ground and followed up any and every rumour of a new find.’
- ‘If you are going to insist on this course of action, then I suggest you keep an ear to the ground and the news; and take this.’
- ‘Ultimately, the facility executive should keep an ear to the ground for factors that drive decisions in an organization.’
- ‘Anyone who truly has their ear to the ground has heard about this band as legend.’
- ‘He's got to be involved, he's got to have his ear to the ground, and he's got to live up to a lot.’
- ‘The CEO will expect his chief security officer to have his ear to the ground, to know what's going on at all times and to think ahead.’
- ‘It's there and you can find out if you have your ear to the ground.’

have someone's ear

Have access to and influence with someone.
‘he claimed to have the prime minister's ear’
- ‘Bisbee was Cooke's aide-de-camp in Omaha, and he had General Cooke's ear and complete access to and responsibility for his correspondence and reports.’
- ‘‘When you hold a fundraiser, there are certain people who are going to come that want to have your ear,’ says Chan.’
- ‘While we have the president's ear there is another urgent matter which requires sensible discussion and not knee-jerk reactions.’
- ‘The hawks in Washington have the President 's ear - in Europe, calmer voices are speaking out.’
- ‘And if there were no or minimal repercussions for switching to private accounts, you would definitely have my ear.’
- ‘But always, before he acts, he listens to a select few who have his ear.’
- ‘But who exactly has the president 's ear on China policy?’
- ‘And while Souter is very much his own man, Irvine has his ear.’
- ‘Your relationship can raise communication barriers with colleagues, if they fear that you are the only one to have the boss's ear.’
- ‘I doubt I will trust you, but you have my ear for now.’

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’
- ‘I figured that despite having kids coming out of my ears, very little spare cash and a stressful job, on one night a week my guitar and I would work together again.’
- ‘It's the season of mangoes and you probably have them coming out of your ears.’
- ‘I think most people here will have plans coming out of their ears and most will say this is just another one.’
- ‘‘I have qualifications coming out of my ears,’ Mr Corbyn said.’
- ‘The lads have put everything they have into it and the manager should have accolades coming out of his ears because he has really got the best out of all the players in the squad.’
- ‘What with his vast organic outfit at Highgrove, he must have organic vegetables coming out of his ears.’
- ‘We used to produce so many muck spreaders we had them coming out of our ears, but now we are down to 15 staff and it will be hard to produce one of these machines a week.’
- ‘Ever since coming to New Zealand in June 2000 I've had holidays coming out of my ears.’
- ‘Each is reportedly a multi-millionaire; both have endorsements coming out of their ears.’
- ‘But they do have strikers coming out of their ears and he is probably sixth in the pecking order.’

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’
- ‘At the moment this, if heard, would go in one ear and out the other.’
- ‘Sometimes people hear things and it ‘goes in one ear and out the other.’’
- ‘I didn't even hear her anymore; it was just in one ear and out the other, the same old story that I'm so, so sick of.’
- ‘‘For most people this kind of stuff goes in one ear and out the other,’ said the activist in Columbus.’
- ‘Just telling kids that these services are available will go in one ear and out the other.’
- ‘I'd been hearing for weeks how dangerous the tribal areas are, getting so many warnings that they've been going in one ear and out the other.’
- ‘Gladwell contends all social epidemics need ‘stickiness’, the quality which stops an idea going in one ear and out the other.’
- ‘Those addresses appear to have gone in one ear and out the other of our bishops.’
- ‘Is all of this stuff I've been telling y'all over the years simply going in one ear and out the other?’
- ‘All the pontificating that will go on between acts and between songs will go in one ear and out the other.’

listen with half an ear

Not give one's full attention.
‘throughout the meeting Bobby only had listened with half an ear’
- ‘Midori watched the room warily, only listening with half an ear as she scanned the crowd.’
- ‘‘Oh, my, this is interesting,’ said Maria, who had been listening with half an ear until now.’
- ‘As they walked off to start their shift, Janey was listening with half an ear to Debi's chatter.’
- ‘Michaela only listened with half an ear until she heard Aiden ask her, ‘Michaela, what do you usually do on your birthday?’’
- ‘‘I don't know why you do this to yourself every year,’ Claire was saying as I listened with half an ear.’
- ‘Tand yawned, as he listened with half an ear to the goings on.’
- ‘He listened with half an ear as everyone was talking about their professions.’
- ‘Patrick listened and laughed in the appropriate places, but he only listened with half an ear.’
- ‘She listened with half an ear while she surveyed her surroundings with boredom.’
- ‘I watch Claire relate everything to boats and watch you all listen with half an ear.’

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’
- ‘His name escapes me now, but I hope his ears are burning, wherever he is.’

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’
- ‘Inside, the sound of a symphony warming up reached her ears.’
- ‘A voice from the shadows of the room reached my ears.’
- ‘Individually we can take steps to generally control what sounds reach our ears in the privacy of our home.’
- ‘The next sound that reached his ears shocked him even more.’
- ‘The latest rumour to reach Mr Kyaw's ears, however, was an encouraging one.’
- ‘This cheery news reached my ears via the steam-driven radio the other night.’
- ‘Exhausted out of reason and numb with pain, Rose pushed and the most beautiful sound in the world reached her ears.’
- ‘Spektor does, however, constantly employ a trick I consider dirty: She reaches her audience's ears and heartstrings through feigned naivete.’
- ‘They fell out on Vietnam, and Johnson retailed nasty gibes that he knew would reach Lippmann's ears.’
- ‘Some of the rumors would reach my children's ears and upset them.’

up to one's ears in

informal

Very busy with.
- ‘I'm up to my ears in work here’
- ‘I was up to my ears in work, and literally talking on two phones at once like a tycoon in an old movie.’
- ‘I know you are all busy with your families, up to your ears in daily problem solving, and that the last thing you need is bad news.’
- ‘Other times, it can land you both up to your ears in big trouble.’
- ‘According to a debt management firm ‘one in three adults are up to their ears in debt.’’
- ‘The staff in our accounts department is getting so many orders that they're up to their ears in work.’
- ‘We are up to our ears in taxes, but don't seem to be getting any benefits.’
- ‘Jonah knows very well what a real story is because he was up to his ears in one of the biggest political scandals in history.’
- ‘John is up to his ears in preparing for the march on Saturday - will be a long day.’
- ‘Those of us in business are up to our ears in dealing with new types of Internet-based customer interactions.’
- ‘I came down with a horrible case of the flu and I've been in up to my ears in homework.’

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.