give ear
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (transitive): To listen attentively; to pay close attention to what is being said.
Usage
This verb phrase is used to describe the act of listening carefully and with focus. It implies a deliberate effort to hear and consider information, often from a specific speaker or source. It is a formal or literary expression.
Examples
- The students gave ear to their professor's important announcement.
- A good leader gives ear to the concerns of the people.
- If you give ear to his advice, you might avoid some common mistakes.
Advanced Usage
- "to give ear to [something/someone]": This is the standard construction, where the object of attention follows the preposition "to."
- The council promised to give ear to the community's proposals.
Variants and Related Words
- Lend an ear (idiom): A more common idiomatic synonym meaning to listen sympathetically or attentively.
- She's always willing to lend an ear when I have a problem.
Synonyms
- Attend to
- Pay heed to
- Listen to
- Heed
Related Phrasal Verbs/Idioms
- Hang on someone's every word: To listen to someone with rapt attention.
- The audience hung on his every word during the fascinating lecture.
- Pay attention: The most common and neutral phrase for directing one's focus toward something.
- Please pay attention to the safety instructions.
Verb
- give heed (to)
- The children in the audience attended the recital quietly
- She hung on his every word
- They attended to everything he said