ear
Outer hearing organ
The part of your head you hear with, found on each side.
[someone]'s ear
- She tucked her hair behind her ear.
- He wore small headphones in each ear.
- The doctor looked inside my ear with a light.
- A loud noise made my ears ring.
- He whispered something in her ear.
- I have a small earring in my ear.
- My left ear hurts today.
- She put her hair over her ear.
- He spoke quietly into my ear.
Skill in hearing music accurately
A skill to know and enjoy sounds or music well.
have an ear for [something]
- She has a good ear for languages.
- You need a trained ear to notice the difference.
- He developed an ear for jazz over the years.
- I have a good ear for music.
- She has an ear for new words.
- He has a trained ear for sounds.
Seed head of grain plant
The top part of a grain plant that has the seeds.
an ear of [grain/corn/wheat]
- He picked an ear of corn from the field.
- The ears of wheat were golden in the sun.
- Each ear contains many kernels.
- I ate an ear of corn.
- The farmer cut the ears of wheat.
- There are many seeds in an ear of grain.
- Base: ear
- Plural: ears
have an ear for
1Be skilled at hearing details
To be good at hearing and understanding sounds, music, or language details.
- She really has an ear for accents.
- You can tell he has an ear for classical music.
in one ear and out the other
1Forget soon after hearing something
When someone hears something but forgets it right away.
- I told him my name, but it went in one ear and out the other.
- Everything I say seems to go in one ear and out the other.
lend an ear
1Listen with attention or sympathy
To listen carefully or kindly to someone who is talking about their problems or feelings.
- She was always ready to lend an ear when I needed to talk.
- Lend me your ear for a moment.
play it by ear
1Act without fixed plan
To decide what to do as things happen, not planning ahead.
- We don't know what time we'll leave; let's just play it by ear.
- I'm not sure how the meeting will go, so I'll play it by ear.
fall on deaf ears
1be completely ignored
To be ignored by people, even though they hear it.
- Their warnings about the virus fell on deaf ears.
- Her complaints have fallen on deaf ears at head office.
fall on deaf ears
2Be ignored after being heard
When advice or requests are ignored even though people hear them.
- Her warnings fell on deaf ears.
- His request for help fell on deaf ears.