listen with only half an ear

idiom

: to not listen closely
When I told my story, my brother listened with only half an ear.

Dictionary Entries Near listen with only half an ear

listen up

listen with only half an ear

lister

Cite this Entry

“Listen with only half an ear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20with%20only%20half%20an%20ear. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!