ear1top: a human earA. auricleB. semicircular canalsC. cochleaD. cochlear nerveE. Eustachian tubeF. eardrumG. ear canalbottom: on a pitcherear1ear 1 (îr)n.1. Anatomy a. The vertebrate organ of hearing, responsible for maintaining equilibrium as well as sensing sound and divided in mammals into the external ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.b. The part of this organ that is externally visible.2. An invertebrate organ analogous to the mammalian ear.3. The sense of hearing: a sound that grates on the ear.4. Sensitivity or receptiveness to sound, especially:a. Sharpness or refinement of hearing: a singer with a good ear for harmony.b. The ability to play a passage of music solely from hearing it: plays the piano by ear.c. Responsiveness to the sounds or forms of spoken language: a writer with a good ear for dialogue; has an ear for foreign languages.5. Sympathetic or favorable attention: “[The president] wavers between the two positions, depending on who last had his ear” (Joseph C. Harsch).6. Something resembling the external ear in position or shape, especially:a. A flexible tuft of feathers located above the eyes of certain birds, such as owls, that functions in visual communication but not in hearing. Also called ear tuft.b. A projecting handle, as on a vase or pitcher.7. A small box in the upper corner of the page in a newspaper or periodical that contains a printed notice, such as promotional material or weather information.8. ears Informal Headphones.Idioms: all ears Acutely attentive: Tell your story?we’re all ears! coming out of (one’s) ears In more than adequate amounts; overabundant. give/lend an ear To pay close attention; listen attentively. have/keep an ear to the ground To be on the watch for new trends or information. in one ear and out the other Without any influence or effect; unheeded: His mind was made up, so my arguments went in one ear and out the other.on its/someone’s ear In a state of amazement, excitement, or uproar: a controversial movie that set the film industry on its ear. up to (one’s) ears Deeply involved or occupied fully: I’m up to my ears in work.[Middle English ere, from Old English ?are; see ous- in Indo-European roots.]ear?less adj.ear 2 (îr)n. The seed-bearing spike of a cereal plant, such as corn.intr.v. eared, ear·ing, ears To form or grow ears.[Middle English ere, from Old English ?ar; see ak- in Indo-European roots.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.ear (??) n1. (Zoology) 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 external ear, middle ear, internal ear2. (Anatomy) the outermost cartilaginous part of the ear (pinna) in mammals, esp humans3. the sense of hearing4. sensitivity to musical sounds, poetic diction, etc: he 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 jug7. (Journalism & Publishing) Also called (esp Brit): earpiece a display box at the head of a newspaper page, esp the front page, for advertisements, etc8. all ears very attentive; listening carefully9. (Music, other) by ear without reading from written music10. chew someone’s ear slang to reprimand severely11. fall on deaf ears to be ignored or pass unnoticed12. have hard ears Caribbean to be stubbornly disobedient13. a flea in one’s ear informal a sharp rebuke14. have the ear of to be in a position to influence: he has the ear of the president. 15. in one ear and out the other heard but unheeded16. 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 opinions17. make a pig’s ear of informal to ruin disastrously18. one’s ears are burning one is aware of being the topic of another’s conversation19. out on one’s ear informal dismissed unceremoniously20. to act according to the demands of a situation rather than to a plan; improvise21. (Music, other) to perform a musical piece on an instrument without written music22. prick up one’s ears to start to listen attentively; become interested23. set by the ears to cause disagreement or commotion24. a thick ear informal a blow on the ear delivered as punishment, in anger, etc25. turn a deaf ear to be deliberately unresponsive26. up to one’s ears informal deeply involved, as in work or debt27. wet behind the ears informal inexperienced; naive; immature[Old English ?are; related to Old Norse eyra, Old High German ?ra, Gothic aus?, Greek ous, Latin auris] ?ear?like adjear (??) n (Botany) the part of a cereal plant, such as wheat or barley, that contains the seeds, grains, or kernelsvb (Botany) (intr) (of cereal plants) to develop such parts[Old English ?ar; related to Old High German ahar, Old Norse ax, Gothic ahs ear, Latin acus chaff, Greek akros pointed]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014ear1 (??r) n. 1. the organ of hearing and equilibrium in vertebrates, in mammals consisting of an external ear and ear canal ending at the tympanic membrane, a middle ear with three ossicles for amplifying vibrations, and a liquid-filled inner ear with sensory nerve endings for hearing and balance. 2. the external ear alone. 3. the sense of hearing. 4. keen perception of the differences of sound, esp. musical sounds. 5. attention: 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. a small box in the upper corner of the front page of a newspaper, containing a slogan, weather forecast, etc. 8. ears, Slang. earphones. Idioms: 1. be all ears, to be extremely attentive. 2. by ear, without reference to musical notation. 3. fall on deaf ears, to be disregarded; pass unheeded. 4. go in one ear and out the other, to hear but without understanding or effect. 5. have or keep one’s ear to the ground, to stay alert to current trends and viewpoints. 6. lend an or give ear, to pay attention. 7. play it by ear, to improvise. 8. set on one’s ear, to amaze. 9. turn a deaf ear to, to refuse to consider or deal with. [before 900; Middle English ere, Old English ?are; c. Old Saxon, Old High German ?ra, Old Norse eyra, Gothic auso, Latin auris, Lithuanian ausìs, Greek oûs] ear2 (??r) n. 1. the spike of a cereal plant, containing the seed grains. v.i. 2. to form or put forth ears. [before 900; Middle English ere, Old English ?ar, æhher; c. Old Saxon ahar, Old High German ahir, ehir, Old Norse ax, Gothic ahs ear, Latin acus husk] Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.ear1ear 1 (îr) The organ of hearing in humans and other vertebrate animals. The ear also plays an important role in maintaining balance. In many mammals, the ear is composed of three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.ear 2 The seed-bearing spike of a cereal plant, such as corn or wheat.The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.EarSee also anatomy; body, human; deafness; hearing. audialgesiaMedicine. a pain in the ear; earache.auriscopean instrument for examining the ear.auriscopythe art of using the auriscope.otalgiaan earache.otiatrics, otiatryMedicine. the therapeutics of ear diseases. ? otiatric, adj.oticodiniaa vertigo resulting from ear disease. Also oticodinosis.otitisMedicine. any variety of inflammation in the ear. ? otitic, adj.otography1. the science of the ear.2. a scientific description of the ear.otology1. the branch of medicine that studies the ear and its diseases.2. the treatment of ear disorders. ? otologist, n. ? otologic, otological, adj.otopathyan abnormal condition or disease of the ear.otoplastyplastic surgery of the ear.otopyorrheathe discharge or flowing of pus from the ear.otorrheaany flowing or discharge from the ear.otoscopya visual inspection of the ear drum and the auditory canal. ? otoscopic, adj.pachyotiaabnormal thickness of the ears.tinnitusa ringing or whistling sound in the ears, not caused by any outside stimulus.-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.earPast participle: earedGerund: earingImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast ConditionalImperativeearearPresentI earyou earhe/she/it earswe earyou earthey earPreteriteI earedyou earedhe/she/it earedwe earedyou earedthey earedPresent ContinuousI am earingyou are earinghe/she/it is earingwe are earingyou are earingthey are earingPresent PerfectI have earedyou have earedhe/she/it has earedwe have earedyou have earedthey have earedPast ContinuousI was earingyou were earinghe/she/it was earingwe were earingyou were earingthey were earingPast PerfectI had earedyou had earedhe/she/it had earedwe had earedyou had earedthey had earedFutureI will earyou will earhe/she/it will earwe will earyou will earthey will earFuture PerfectI will have earedyou will have earedhe/she/it will have earedwe will have earedyou will have earedthey will have earedFuture ContinuousI will be earingyou will be earinghe/she/it will be earingwe will be earingyou will be earingthey will be earingPresent Perfect ContinuousI have been earingyou have been earinghe/she/it has been earingwe have been earingyou have been earingthey have been earingFuture Perfect ContinuousI will have been earingyou will have been earinghe/she/it will have been earingwe will have been earingyou will have been earingthey will have been earingPast Perfect ContinuousI had been earingyou had been earinghe/she/it had been earingwe had been earingyou had been earingthey had been earingConditionalI would earyou would earhe/she/it would earwe would earyou would earthey would earPast ConditionalI would have earedyou would have earedhe/she/it would have earedwe would have earedyou would have earedthey would have earedCollins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011earThe organ of hearing and balance. See external ear, inner ear, middle ear.Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited