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 motion2: the external ear of humans and most mammals3 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 accurately4: 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 forecast7: 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]