Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Ear
Ear
(ēr)
, Noun.
1.
The organ of hearing; the external ear.
☞ In man and the higher vertebrates, the organ of hearing is very complicated, and is divisible into three parts: the external ear, which includes the
pinna
or auricle
and meatus
or external opening; the middle ear, drum, or tympanum
; and the internal ear, or labyrinth
. The middle ear is a cavity connected by the Eustachian tube
with the pharynx, separated from the opening of the external ear by the tympanic membrane
, and containing a chain of three small bones, or ossicles, named malleus
, incus
, and stapes
, which connect this membrane with the internal ear. The essential part of the internal ear where the fibers of the auditory nerve terminate, is the membranous labyrinth
, a complicated system of sacs and tubes filled with a fluid (the endolymph), and lodged in a cavity, called the bony labyrinth
, in the periotic bone. The membranous labyrinth does not completely fill the bony labyrinth, but is partially suspended in it in a fluid (the perilymph). The bony labyrinth consists of a central cavity, the vestibule
, into which three semicircular canals
and the canal of the cochlea
(spirally coiled in mammals) open. The vestibular portion of the membranous labyrinth consists of two sacs, the utriculus
and sacculus
, connected by a narrow tube, into the former of which three membranous semicircular canals open, while the latter is connected with a membranous tube in the cochlea containing the organ of Corti
. By the help of the external ear the sonorous vibrations of the air are concentrated upon the tympanic membrane and set it vibrating, the chain of bones in the middle ear transmits these vibrations to the internal ear, where they cause certain delicate structures in the organ of Corti, and other parts of the membranous labyrinth, to stimulate the fibers of the auditory nerve to transmit sonorous impulses to the brain. 2.
The sense of hearing; the perception of sounds; the power of discriminating between different tones;
as, a nice
; – in the singular only. ear
for musicSongs . . . not all ungrateful to thine
ear
. Tennyson.
3.
That which resembles in shape or position the ear of an animal; any prominence or projection on an object, – usually one for support or attachment; a lug; a handle;
as, the
. The ears of a boat are outside kneepieces near the bow. See Illust. of ears
of a tub, a skillet, or dishBell
. 5.
Privilege of being kindly heard; favor; attention.
Dionysius . . . would give no
ear
to his suit. Bacon.
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your
ears
. Shakespeare
About the ears
, in close proximity to; near at hand.
– By the ears
, in close contest; as, to set by the ears; to fall together by the ears; to be by the ears.
– Button ear
(in dogs), an ear which falls forward and completely hides the inside.
– Ear finger
, the little finger.
– Ear of Dionysius
, a kind of ear trumpet with a flexible tube; – named from the Sicilian tyrant, who constructed a device to overhear the prisoners in his dungeons.
– Ear sand
(Anat.)
, otoliths. See
– Otolith
. Ear snail
(Zoöl.)
, any snail of the genus
– Auricula
and allied genera. Ear stones
(Anat.)
, otoliths. See
– Otolith
. Ear trumpet
, an instrument to aid in hearing. It consists of a tube broad at the outer end, and narrowing to a slender extremity which enters the ear, thus collecting and intensifying sounds so as to assist the hearing of a partially deaf person.
– Ear vesicle
(Zoöl.)
, a simple auditory organ, occurring in many worms, mollusks, etc. It consists of a small sac containing a fluid and one or more solid concretions or otocysts.
– Rose ear
(in dogs), an ear which folds backward and shows part of the inside.
– To give ear to
, to listen to; to heed, as advice or one advising.
“Give ear unto my song.” Goldsmith.
– To have one’s ear
, to be listened to with favor.
– Up to the ears
, deeply submerged; almost overwhelmed; as, to be in trouble up to one's ears.
[Colloq.]
Ear
(ēr)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Eared
(ērd)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Earing
.] To take in with the ears; to hear.
[Sportive]
“I eared her language.” Two Noble Kinsmen.
Ear
,Verb.
I.
To put forth ears in growing; to form ears, as grain;
as, this corn
. ears
wellEar
,Verb.
T.
[OE.
erien
, AS. erian
; akin to OFries. era
, OHG. erran
, MHG. eren
, ern
, Prov. G. aren
, ären
, Icel. erja
, Goth. arjan
, Lith. arti
, OSlav. orati
, L. arare
, Gr. [GREEK]. Cf. Arable
.] To plow or till; to cultivate.
“To ear the land.” Shak.
Webster 1828 Edition
Ear
E'AR
,Noun.
1.
The organ of hearing; the organ by which sound is perceived; and in general, both the external and internal part is understood by the term. The external ear is a cartilaginous funnel, attached, by ligaments and muscles, to the temporal bone.2.
The sense of hearing, or rather the power of distinguishing sounds and judging of harmony; the power of nice perception of the differences of sound, or of consonances and dissonances. She has a delicate ear for music, or a good ear.3.
In the plural, the head or person. It is better to pass over an affront from one scoundrel,than to draw a herd about one's ears.
4.
The top, or highest part. The cavalier was up to the ears in love.
5.
A favorable hearing; attention; heed; regard. Give no ear to flattery.I cried to God--and he gave ear to me. Ps.77.
He could not gain the prince's ear.
6.
Disposition to like or dislike what is heard; opinion; judgment; taste.He laid his sense closer--according to the style and ear of those times.
7.
Any part of a thing resembling an ear; a projecting part from the side of any thing; as the ears of a vessel used as handles.8.
The spike of corn; that part of certain plants which contains the flowers and seeds; as an ear of wheat or maiz.To be by the ears,------------------
To fall together by the ears,------- to fight or scuffle; to
To go together by the ears,--------- quarrel.
To set by the ears, to make strife; to cause to quarrel.
Definition 2024
ear
ear
English
A human ear.
Noun
ear (plural ears)
- (countable) The organ of hearing, consisting of the pinna, auditory canal, eardrum, malleus, incus, stapes and cochlea.
- (countable) The external part of the organ of hearing, the auricle.
- 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 4, in The Celebrity:
- Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.
-
- (countable, slang) A police informant.
- 1976, Stirling Silliphant, Dean Riesner, Gail Morgan Hickman, The Enforcer.
- No I'm not kidding, and if you don't give it to me I'll let it out that you’re an ear.
- 1976, Stirling Silliphant, Dean Riesner, Gail Morgan Hickman, The Enforcer.
- The sense of hearing; the perception of sounds; the power of discriminating between different tones.
- Tennyson
- songs […] not all ungrateful to thine ear
- a good ear for music
- Tennyson
- The privilege of being kindly heard; favour; attention.
- Francis Bacon
- Dionysius […] would give no ear to his suit.
- William Shakespeare
- Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.
- Francis Bacon
- That which resembles in shape or position the ear of an animal; a prominence or projection on an object, usually for support or attachment; a lug; a handle.
- the ears of a tub, skillet, or dish; The ears of a boat are outside kneepieces near the bow.
- (architecture) An acroterium.
- (architecture) A crossette.
Alternative forms
Derived terms
Terms derived from ear (noun)
- Look at pages starting with ear.
Translations
organ of hearing
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external part of the organ of hearing — see pinna
slang: police informant
Verb
ear (third-person singular simple present ears, present participle earing, simple past and past participle eared)
- (humorous) To take in with the ears; to hear.
- Two Noble Kinsmen
- I eared her language.
- Two Noble Kinsmen
See also
Etymology 2
From Middle English er, from Old English ēar (Northumbrian dialect æhher), from Proto-Germanic *ahaz (compare West Frisian ier, Dutch aar, German Ähre), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ék- (“sharp”) (compare Latin acus (“needle; husk”), Tocharian B āk (“ear, awn”), Old Church Slavonic ость (ostĭ, “wheat spike, sharp point”). More at edge.
Noun
ear (plural ears)
- (countable) The fruiting body of a grain plant.
- He is in the fields, harvesting ears of corn.
Synonyms
Translations
fruiting body of a grain plant
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Verb
ear (third-person singular simple present ears, present participle earing, simple past and past participle eared)
- (intransitive) To put forth ears in growing; to form ears, as grain does.
- This corn ears well.
Etymology 3
From Old English erian, from Proto-Germanic *arjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erh₃- (“to plough”).
Verb
ear (third-person singular simple present ears, present participle earing, simple past and past participle eared)
- (archaic) To plough.
- 1595, William Shakespeare, Richard II:
- That power I have, discharge; and let them go
- To ear the land that hath some hope to grow,
- For I have none.
- 1611, Bible (KJV), Deuteronomy 21:4:
- And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley
- 1595, William Shakespeare, Richard II:
Translations
plough — see plough
archaic: to plough
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Anagrams
Old English
Etymology 1
Noun
ēar m
Etymology 2
From Proto-Germanic *ahaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ak (“pointed”).
Noun
ēar n
- ear (of corn)
West Frisian
Etymology
From Old Frisian āre, from the voiced Verner alternant of Proto-Germanic *ausô, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ows-. Compare English ear, Dutch oor, German Ohr, Danish øre.
Noun
ear n (plural earen, diminutive earke)