Main Entry: ¹ear

Pronunciation: \ˈir\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English ere, from Old English ēare; akin to Old High German ōra ear, Latin auris, Greek ous

Date: before 12th century

1 a : the characteristic vertebrate organ of hearing and equilibrium consisting in the typical mammal of a sound-collecting outer ear separated by the tympanic membrane from a sound-transmitting middle ear that in turn is separated from a sensory inner ear by membranous fenestrae b : any of various organs (as of a fish) capable of detecting vibratory motion
2 : the external ear of humans and most mammals
3 a : the sense or act of hearing b : acuity of hearing c : sensitivity to musical tone and pitch; also : the ability to retain and reproduce music that has been heard d : sensitivity to nuances of language especially as revealed in the command of verbal melody and rhythm or in the ability to render a spoken idiom accurately
4 : something resembling a mammalian ear in shape, position, or function: as a : a projecting part (as a lug or handle) b : either of a pair of tufts of lengthened feathers on the head of some birds
5 : attention, awareness <lend an ear>
6 : a space in the upper corner of the front page of a periodical (as a newspaper) usually containing advertising for the periodical itself or a weather forecast
7 : a person who listens : listener <looking for a friendly ear>

— all ears : eagerly listening <if anybody spoke of that grisly matter, I was all ears…and alert to hear what might be said — Mark Twain>

— by ear : without reference to or memorization of written music <plays by ear>

— in one ear and out the other : through one's mind without making an impression <everything you say to him goes in one ear and out the other>

— on one's ear : in or into a state of irritation, shock, or discord <set the racing world on its ear by breaking the record>

— up to one's ears : deeply involved : heavily implicated <up to his ears in shady deals>

[ear illustration]