9 entries found for ear.
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ear[1,noun] ear[2,noun] dog-ear ear canal external ear inner ear middle ear outer ear swimmer's ear

Main Entry: ¹ear
Pronunciation: i()r
Function: noun
Etymology: Old English are "organ of hearing"
1 a : the organ of hearing and balance of vertebrates that in the typical mammal consists of a sound-collecting outer ear separated by an eardrum from a sound-carrying middle ear that in turn is separated from an inner ear containing neurons that receive sound and send nerve impulses to the brain b : OUTER EAR
2 a : the sense or act of hearing b : an ability to understand and appreciate something heard <a good ear for music> <an ear for languages>
3 : willing or sympathetic attention <give ear to a request> <lend an ear>
4 : something resembling an ear in shape or position
- eared /i()rd/ adjective
- ear·less /i()r-ls/ adjective
- all ears : listening eagerly <was all ears when friends spoke>
- by ear : relying on what one has heard rather than reading music <play a song by ear>
[ear illustration]