Definition

1. Noun:
   • The organ of hearing and balance: The part of the body, on either side of the head, that is used for hearing sounds and maintaining physical equilibrium.
   • The sense or ability to hear: The faculty of perceiving sound.
   • The ability to recognize, appreciate, or reproduce sounds, especially in music: A sensitivity to tone, pitch, or sound quality.
   • Attention or heed: Willingness to listen.
   • The fruiting spike of a cereal plant: The seed-bearing head of a plant like corn, wheat, or barley.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Body Part):
  • She whispered the secret directly into his ear.
  • The infection was in his inner ear, affecting his balance.
• Noun (Hearing Ability):
  • He has a very good ear and can hear the faintest sounds.
  • She has a great ear for languages and picks up accents quickly.
• Noun (Musical Sensitivity):
  • To tune a guitar properly, you need a good ear.
  • The pianist has a perfect ear for pitch.
• Noun (Attention):
  • I tried to get the manager's ear to discuss my idea.
  • He promised to lend a sympathetic ear to her problems.
• Noun (Botany):
  • The corn ears were ripe and ready for harvest.
  • An ear of wheat contains many individual grains.

Advanced Usage

• "To have someone's ear": To have the attention or favor of someone, especially someone in authority.
  • As a trusted advisor, she has the president's ear on economic matters.
• "To play by ear": To play music without written notation, relying on memory or improvisation; figuratively, to handle a situation without a fixed plan, reacting as it develops.
  • I don't have the sheet music, so I'll have to play this song by ear.
  • We don't have a schedule for the meeting; let's just play it by ear.

Variants and Related Words

• Earful (noun): A lengthy, forceful, or critical reprimand or amount of gossip.
  • He got an earful from his boss for being late.
• Earring (noun): A piece of jewelry worn on the lobe or edge of the ear.
• Eardrum (noun): The thin membrane in the ear that vibrates in response to sound waves.

Synonyms

• Auricle (noun, anatomy): The external part of the ear.
• Hearing (noun): The faculty of perceiving sound.
• Attention (noun): Notice taken of someone or something.
• Spike (noun, botany): A flower cluster formed in cereals.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• To prick up one's ears: To suddenly begin to listen attentively.
  • She pricked up her ears when she heard her name mentioned.
• To bend someone's ear: To talk to someone for a long time, especially about a problem or complaint.
  • He bent my ear for an hour about his car troubles.

Related Idioms

• To be all ears: To be listening eagerly and attentively.
  • "Tell me the story," she said. "I'm all ears."
• To go in one ear and out the other: To be heard but immediately forgotten or ignored.
  • My advice about studying just went in one ear and out the other.
• Walls have ears: A warning that one may be overheard, even in private.
  • Be careful what you say here; walls have ears.
• To have an ear for (something): To have a natural talent for recognizing, appreciating, or reproducing a particular type of sound.
  • He has a good ear for dialects.

Noun

1. fruiting spike of a cereal plant especially corn
2. attention to what is said
   • he tried to get her ear
3. the externally visible cartilaginous structure of the external ear
4. good hearing
   • he had a keen ear
   • a good ear for pitch
5. the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium