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

1. give heed (to)
   • The children in the audience attended the recital quietly
   • She hung on his every word
   • They attended to everything he said