ear

UK: /ˈɪə^r/ US: /ɪr/ ,(ēr)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ear¹ /ɪr/   n. 

1. Anatomy [countable] the organ of hearing, including the outer part on either side of the head.
2. the sense of hearing:
   [uncountable] sounds that are pleasing to the ear.
3. keen or sensitive ability to notice the differences among sounds, esp. musical sounds:
   [countable* usually singular] a good ear for music.
4. attention;
   heed:
   [uncountable] always had the boss's ear.

Idioms

5. Idioms be all ears, to be extremely attentive;
   listen:
   Tell me about it; I'm all ears.
6. Idioms by ear, without reference to written music:
   could play any tune by ear.

ear•less, adj. 

ear² /ɪr/   n. [countable]

1. Botany the top part or spike of a cereal plant, containing the seed grains.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ear¹  (ēr), n. 

1. Anatomy the organ of hearing and equilibrium in vertebrates, in humans consisting of an external ear that gathers sound vibrations, a middle ear in which the vibrations resonate against the tympanic membrane, and a fluid-filled internal ear that maintains balance and that conducts the tympanic vibrations to the auditory nerve, which transmits them as impulses to the brain.
2. Anatomy the external ear alone:
   The hat completely covers his ears.
3. the sense of hearing:
   sounds that are pleasing to the ear.
4. keen or sensitive perception of the differences of sound, esp. sensitiveness to the quality and correctness of musical sounds:
   an ear for music; a violinist with a good ear.
5. attention;
   heed:
   to gain a person's ear.
6. any part that resembles or suggests an ear in position or form, as the handle of a teacup.
7. Architecture crossette.
8. Journalism a small box in either upper corner of a newspaper page, usually the front page or split page, containing the name of or a symbol for the edition, a weather bulletin, a slogan, or the like.
9. Furniture
   • a decorative feature at the upper end of a leg.
   • one of the decorative features at each end of a crest rail.
10. Slang Terms ears, earphones.
11. Idioms be all ears, [Informal.] to give all one's attention;
    listen:
    We were all ears as the scandal was revealed.
12. Idioms bend an ear, to listen attentively:
    to bend an ear to a request for aid.
13. bend someone's ear, [Informal.] to talk to someone uninterruptedly and often so as to induce boredom:
    He'll bend your ear for hours if given the chance.
14. Idioms by ear, without reference to written or printed music:
    to play the piano by ear.
15. Idioms fall on deaf ears, to be disregarded;
    pass unheeded:
    Their pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.
16. Idioms give ear, to pay attention;
    listen carefully. Also, lend an ear. 
17. Idioms go in one ear and out the other, to be heard but ignored;
    be put out of mind:
    My repeated warnings to her went in one ear and out the other.
18. Idioms have one's ears on, [Slang.] to be listening through earphones to a radio, cassette player, telephone communication, or the like.
19. Idioms have or keep one's ear to the ground, to keep well-informed about current trends;
    be shrewd or astute:
    Because she had her ear to the ground, she made a large fortune in stock speculation.
20. Idioms pin someone's ears back, [Slang.] to give a person a sound beating;
    defeat a person utterly:
    If he doesn't behave himself, I'll pin his ears back.
21. Idioms set by the ears, to cause to dispute or quarrel:
    He's a troublemaker who keeps trying to set the two other children by the ears.
22. Idioms set on one's ear or ears, to excite or stir up;
    shock;
    amaze:
    The presence of the movie star set the whole town on its ear.
23. Idioms turn a deaf ear to, to refuse to listen to or consider (a request, petition, etc.):
    He turns a deaf ear to requests for loans.
24. Idioms up to one's ears, deeply involved or occupied to full capacity:
    We are up to our ears in work.
25. Idioms wet behind the ears. See wet (def. 11).

• bef. 900; Middle English ere, Old English ēare; cognate with Old Norse eyra, German Ohr, Gothic auso, Latin auris, Lithuanian ausìs, Greek oûs

ear′less, adj. 
ear′like′, adj. 

ear²  (ēr), n. 

1. the part of a cereal plant, as corn, wheat, etc., that contains the flowers and hence the fruit, grains, or kernels.

v.i. 

2. to form or put forth ears.

• bef. 900; Middle English ere, Old English ēar, æhher; cognate with German Ahre, Old Norse ax, Gothic ahs ear, Latin acus husk

ear³  (ēr), v.t. [Brit. Dial.]

1. Agriculture, British Terms to plow;
   cultivate.

• bef. 900; Middle English ere(n), Old English erian; cognate with Old Norse erja, Gothic arjan, Latin arāre

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ear / ɪə/ noun

1. the organ of hearing and balance in higher vertebrates and of balance only in fishes. In humans and other mammals it consists of three parts
   See middle ear
   Related adjective(s): aural
2. the outermost cartilaginous part of the ear (pinna) in mammals, esp humans
3. the sense of hearing
4. sensitivity to musical sounds, poetic diction, etc: she has an ear for music
5. attention, esp favourable attention; consideration; heed (esp in the phrases give ear to, lend an ear)
6. an object resembling the external ear in shape or position, such as a handle on a jug
7. all ears ⇒ very attentive; listening carefully
8. fall on deaf ears ⇒ to be ignored or pass unnoticed
9. in one ear and out the other ⇒ heard but unheeded
10. keep one's ear to the ground, have one's ear to the ground ⇒ to be or try to be well informed about current trends and opinions
11. out on one's ear ⇒ dismissed unceremoniously
12. play by ear ⇒ to act according to the demands of a situation rather than to a plan; improvise
13. to perform a musical piece on an instrument without written music
14. a thick ear ⇒ a blow on the ear delivered as punishment, in anger, etc
15. turn a deaf ear ⇒ to be deliberately unresponsive
16. up to one's ears ⇒ deeply involved, as in work or debt

Etymology: Old English ēare; related to Old Norse eyra, Old High German ōra, Gothic ausō, Greek ous, Latin auris

ear / ɪə/ noun

1. the part of a cereal plant, such as wheat or barley, that contains the seeds, grains, or kernels

verb

1. (intransitive) (of cereal plants) to develop such parts

Etymology: Old English ēar; related to Old High German ahar, Old Norse ax, Gothic ahs ear, Latin acus chaff, Greek akros pointed