earshot
Noun: - The range or distance within which a sound, especially a voice, can be heard. It refers to the physical area where someone can hear what is being said or the sounds being made.
The word "earshot" is almost exclusively used in the phrases "within earshot" and "out of earshot" to describe whether someone is close enough to hear something or far enough away that they cannot hear it. It is a singular, uncountable noun.
General Usage:
- Please move out of earshot; I need to discuss something private.
- The manager spoke quietly, ensuring the customers were out of earshot.
- Keep the children within earshot while they play in the yard.
From Reference Context:
- The children were told to stay within earshot.
"Within earshot of (someone/something)": This specifies the person or location serving as the reference point for hearing.
- She made the phone call within earshot of her boss, which was a risky move.
- The cafe is within earshot of the city's bell tower.
"Just out of earshot": Used to emphasize that someone is barely too far away to hear, often creating a sense of secrecy or missed information.
- They started their confidential conversation once I was just out of earshot.
- Hearing distance: A more literal synonym for "earshot."
- Earreach: A less common, nearly synonymous term.
- Auditory range: A more technical or scientific term for the range of sound perception.
- Hearing range
- Sound range
- Auditory field
While "earshot" itself is not a phrasal verb, its standard prepositional phrases are critical to its use: - Within earshot: Close enough to be heard. - Out of earshot: Too far away to be heard.
- To be within earshot: To be close enough to hear. This is the standard idiomatic usage of the word itself.
- Be careful what you say; the reporters are within earshot.
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the range within which a voice can be heard
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the children were told to stay within earshot
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