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| ear [ eer ] (plural ears) |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. organ of hearing: the organ of hearing and balance in vertebrates. In mammals it is divided into three parts, the external, middle, and inner ear. The external ear collects sound, the middle ear contains small bones that amplify and transmit it, while the inner ear maintains balance and contains sensory nerve endings for detecting sound.
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2. external part of hearing organ: the external part of an ear, visible in humans and most mammals on each side of the head as a flap of cartilage with skin surrounding or covering it
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3. invertebrate sensory organ: a sensory organ in invertebrates that is able to sense vibrations and perform a similar function to a vertebrate ear
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4. birds
Same as ear tuft
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5. ear shape: something shaped like an ear, especially a handle on a jug or jar
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6. ability to tell sounds apart: the ability to distinguish accurately between different sounds, e.g. in speech or music
  She has a good ear for languages.
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7. attention: somebody's attention, especially when it is sympathetic or favourable
lend an ear
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| [ Old English ēare< Indo-European, 'ear'] |
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| earless adjective |
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all ears listening, or ready to listen, attentively or enthusiastically to something (informal)
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be up to your ears (in something) to have a lot of something to deal with, e.g. work, activities, or problems (informal)
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go in one ear and out the other to be forgotten as soon as heard and so have absolutely no effect on somebody
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have somebody's ear to be a trusted adviser to somebody, especially somebody powerful or influential
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have or keep your ear to the ground to remain continuously alert to discover new developments or information
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out on your ear unceremoniously thrown out or dismissed from a place or position you previously occupied (informal)
You'll be out on your ear if you're late again.
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prick up your ears to begin listening or paying attention to something
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set somebody or something by the ears to cause conflict or disagreement among people or within an organization
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set somebody on his or her ear to send somebody or something into a state of excited agitation, shock, or confusion
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wet behind the ears very inexperienced or naive
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