▪ I. ear, n.1
(ɪə(r))
Forms: 1–2 éare, 3–6 ere, (3 ire, 4 ȝhere, er, erre, 5 heer, here, 6 heare) 4–6 eere, yere, 5 eire, 6–7 eare, 6– ear. pl. ears; also 1–2 earan, 1 earo, -u, 2–4 earen, 4 eeren, eren, (heren, ern).
[Common Teut.: OE. éare wk. neut. = OFris. âre, OS. ôre, ôra (MDu. ōre, oore, Du. oor), OHG. ôra (MHG. ôre, mod.G. ohr), ON. eyra (Sw. öra, Da. öre), Goth. ausô:—OTeut. *(ˈauson-), auˈzon-, cogn. with L. auris (:—*ausis), Gr. οὖς, Lith. ausis, OSlav. ucho, OIr. ó, of same meaning.]
I. The organ of hearing in men and animals. Anatomists distinguish (1) The external ear, consisting of the pinna (the portion which projects outside the head) and the meatus or passage leading thence to (2) the middle ear, or tympanum, a cavity in the substance of the temporal bone, separated from the external meatus by a membrane called the membrana tympani; (3) the internal ear, or labyrinth, which is a complex cavity hollowed out of the bone. In popular language ear is often used for the external ear or the pinna alone.
1. a. The external ear.
| a 1000 Riddles lxxxviii. 3 (Gr.) Wiht..hæfde an eaᵹe and earan twa. a 1300 Cursor M. 18836 His hare..Bi his eres skailand sumdele. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 556 Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys. 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (1852) 79 Vij gentylmen of Kent sett on the pyllery..and one of eche of ther erys cut of. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 43 Hir eares might well glow, For all the towne talkt of hir. 1661 Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. Introd., The eares..are divided..in the hart, and pilous in the rat. 1746 W. Thompson R.N. Advoc. (1757) 34 They would not have let their Ears appear quite so long, had they suspected, etc. c 1750 J. Newton Jrnl. (1836) 64 Some of them said that their ears burned on their heads to hear me speak to such a man. 1832 Tennyson Miller's Dau. xxii, I would be the jewel That trembles in her ear. |
b. With certain defining words: a particular shape or appearance of the ear.
button ear: in dogs, an ear falling in front, and hiding the inside.
rose ear: one folding at the back and disclosing the inside.
asylum ear,
insane ear: a disease of the ear common among the insane in asylums.
c. Phrases.
about one's ears: said of a shower of blows or missiles, a conflagration, a falling house; also
fig. on one's ear, drunk.
over (head and) ears,
up to the ears:
fig. deeply immersed
in.
dry behind (occas. in the U.S. back of) the ears, adult, experienced, mature; also,
wet behind the ears, immature, naïve.
to prick (up) one's ears: as a horse when full of animation;
fig. of persons, to assume an attitude of expectant attention.
† to hang one's ears: to be cowed, discouraged.
to have, hold, take by the ears: to keep or obtain a secure hold upon (a person); so also,
to pull or drag by the ears,
i.e. violently, roughly;
to lead by the ears: to keep in abject dependence.
† to pull one by the ear [? after L.
vellere auriculam]:
fig. to compel one's attention.
to have (or keep) one's ear(s) to the ground, (
fig.) to be on the alert regarding rumours or the trend of public opinion;
out on one's ear, dismissed, ejected ignominiously.
† to shake one's ears: (? as a dog when wet); also, ? to make the best of a bad bargain; also, to show contempt or displeasure.
to be willing to give one's ears: to be ready to make any sacrifice.
| 1652 Warren Unbelievers (1654) 24 All Sodome was..flaming about the ears of the Inhabitants. 1823 Byron Juan xiv. x, I have brought this world about my ears, and eke The other: that's to say, the clergy. |
| 1906 E. Dyson Fact'ry 'Ands xiv. 180 It's these cheap 'n' easy shickers rollin' round on their ear what brings discredit on beer. 1921 K. S. Prichard Black Opal ii. 17 The old chap has ‘got on his ear’ in Sydney. 1932 J. van Druten Behold, We Live i. 17, I shall be on my little ear if I don't get some food soon. |
| a 1553 Udall Royster D. i. i. (Arb.) 12 If any woman smyle, Vp is he to the harde eares in loue. 1663 Pepys Diary 2 Oct., My wife, who is over head and eares in getting her house up. 1768 Gray in Corr. N. Nicholls (1843) 80, I am over head and ears in writings. 1839 W. Irving Wolfert's R. (1855) 213, I..was up to my ears in law. 1889 W. B. Yeats Let. Sept. (1954) 136, I am up to the ears in Irish novelists. 1966 Listener 6 Jan. 15/1 He..is up to his ears in work. |
| 1914 Dialect Notes IV. 105 Dry back of the ears, mature;—of persons. 1931 Brophy & Partridge Songs Brit. Soldier (ed. 3) 375 Wet behind the ears, a term of reproach imputing ignorance or youth. 1939 Amer. Speech XIV. 264 The classic chastening phrase applied to the adolescent who feels that he is grown is that he ‘isn't dry behind the ears yet’. 1939 J. Steinbeck Grapes of Wrath ix. 109 When you bastards get dry behin' the ears, you'll maybe learn to let an ol' fella sleep. 1962 J. F. Straker Coil of Rope vii. 71 You're still wet behind the ears, darling. It's time you grew up. 1968 W. J. Burley Three Toed Pussy iv. 68, I am not an abortionist but neither am I wet behind the ears. I've been around. |
| 1610 Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 275 At which like Vnback't colts they prick't their eares. 1678 Earl Murray in Lauderdale Papers (1885) III. lxxxiv. 147 They begine now to hange ther ears..A gentilman tould me..he saw the E. Kincarden & dyvers others..all out of humor. a 1891 Mod. I pricked up my ears when I heard your name mentioned. |
| a 1555 Ridley Wks. 206 Bertram was the first that pulled me by the ear and brought me from the common error of the Romish Church. 1581 Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 62 For Poesie must not be drawne by the eares, it must be gently led. 1590 Pasquil's Apol. i. C b, They have all vowed to hale thee out of thy trenches by the head and eares. 1600 Holland Livy xxvi. 592 They would home to their very houses and pluck them out by the eares. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1655) II. xxviii. 39 Which Countries..the Spaniard holds as one would do a Woolf by the ear, fearing they should run away. 1884 M. Hickson Ireland in 17th C. I. Introd. 9 The chiefs..led the ignorant credulous masses by the ears after them. |
| 1920 Nat. Rev. Apr. 142 On the eve of a Presidential Election campaign, when practical politicians have their ears to the ground. 1955 G. Greene Quiet American iii. i. 190 What's the gossip of the market, Tom? You fellows certainly do keep your ears to the ground. 1966 ‘H. Calvin’ Italian Gadget ix. 146 Honestly, the way I've had my ear to the ground, I simply don't see it. |
| 1951 M. Kennedy Lucy Carmichael vi. ii. 294 If I pipe down and give no trouble I'm safe. If not, I'll be out on my ear. 1953 J. Trench Docken Dead ix. 129 I'm going to throw the sleuth out on his ear. |
| 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. viii. 45 When Gods threatnings are vttered vnto vs a great many of vs do but shake our eares at them. 1606 Chapman Mons. D'Olive ii. (D.) Shooke mine eares And lickt my lipps, as if I begg'd attention. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1655) I. §i. xxi. 32 They shut their Gates against him, and made him go shake his ears, and to shift for his lodging. 1747 H. Walpole Lett. I. 166 (D.) How merry my ghost will be, and shake its ears, to hear itself quoted as a person of consummate prudence. |
| 1796–1801 T. G. Fessenden Orig. Poems (1806) 128 Jove tells his peers He'd give his ears For such an hour as this is. 1853 Dickens Bleak Ho. xxxix. 395 There are people in London who would give their ears to be you. 1883 W. E. Norris No New Thing I. vii. 176 Many a man would give his ears to be allowed to call two such charming young ladies by their Christian names. |
d. † to go, come, fall, together by the ears,
be by the ears: said of animals fighting; hence of persons, to be at variance (
obs.). So
to set (persons) by the ears: to put them at variance.
| 1539 Tauerner Erasm. Prov. (1552) 22 The apes..skambled and went together by y⊇ eares for the nuttes. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 280/1 When we be together by the eares like dogs and cattes. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turkes 1184 They fell together by the eares about the matter, some taking part with the old General, and some with the new. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 4 When hard Words..Set Folks together by the ears, And made them fight. 1725 De Foe Voy. round W. (1840) 67 They would fall together by the ears about who should go with you. 1755 Smollett Quix. (1803) II. 225 In one place, we fight for a sword; in another for a horse; in short, we are all by the ears together. 1793 Gouv. Morris in Sparks Life & Writ. (1832) II. 282, I saw clearly that France and England would at length get by the ears. 1868 G. Duff Pol. Surv. (1868) 40 Does it [Turkey] fancy that it will obtain security for itself by setting Greek and Bulgarian by the ears? |
† e. to sleep on the (right or left) ear: to sleep lying on one side.
to be able to sleep on both ears [after L.: ‘you may sleep at ease on which ear you like’, Ter.
Heaut. i. ii. 100]: to be free from anxiety.
| a 1663 Bramhall Wks. (1842–4) III. 518 (D.), I will remove this scruple out of his mind that he may sleep securely upon both ears. 1768 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1805) VII. 485 Young people..will need no more than one nap..if they turn upon the other ear to take a second, they should be taught to look on it as an intemperance. |
f. In allusion to the loss of ears as a punishment.
† (not to dare) for one's ears;
cf. for one's life, and
mod. colloq. ‘It would be as much as his ears were worth’.
| 1607 Topsell Serpents 640 The Drones do willingly contain themselves in their own cells..the younger not daring for their ears to break into their fathers Lands. |
† g. wine of one ear: good wine. [A French idiom of obscure origin.]
| 1653 Urquhart Rabelais i. v, [The wine] is of one eare, well wrought, and of good wooll. |
h. to get (a person) up on his ears, to make him indignant; so
to be on one's ear;
to get up or go off on one's ear (
U.S.), to rouse or bestir oneself.
| 1871 L. H. Bagg 4 Years at Yale 44 A man somewhat offended or indignant is said to be on his ear. 1871 Galveston News 4 May (De Vere), They..said that I was lightning, when I got up on my ear. 1882 W. D. Howells Mod. Instance II. xxix. 144 ‘I can cut your acquaintance fast enough,..if you're really on your ear!’ ‘I'm on my ear,’ said Ricker. 1889 Farmer Americanisms s.v., To get up or go off on one's ear, to bestir oneself; to rouse oneself to a great effort. 1907 M. C. Harris Tents of Wickedness iii. iv. 255, I only hope Paul Fairfax won't read it and get on his ear! |
i. Oh my ears and whiskers!, a
joc. exclamation.
| 1865 ‘L. Carroll’ Alice in Wonderland i. 7 Alice..was just in time to hear it [sc. the White Rabbit] say..‘Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!’ 1956 M. Stewart Wildfire at Midn. iii. 33 He gave a little bark of laughter. ‘Oh my ears and whiskers!’ 1963 ‘M. Erskine’ House in Belmont Square i. 20 Oh, my ears and whiskers! Why didn't you say so before? |
2. The internal and middle ear, together or separately; also the three portions as a whole.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iii. xviii. (1495) 64 The couenable lymme to herynge is a gristyl-bone set in the eere. 1615 Crooke Body of Man 611 The Sounds..are carried through the contorted Meanders of the Eares to the Auditory Nerue. 1808 Med. Jrnl. XIX. 387 The Muscles of the Middle Ear. 1861 Hulme tr. Moquin-Tandon ii. i. 50 In the lowest animals the ear is reduced to a sack filled with a special fluid. |
3. a. With reference to its function: The organ of hearing.
to speak in the ear: to whisper, speak privately. Proverb,
walls have ears,
i.e. there may be listeners anywhere.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter ix. 38 Lustas heortan heara ᵹeherde eare ðin. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 15 Hiᵹ hefelice mid earum ᵹehyrdon [c 1160 Hatton earen]. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 181 Eien lokeð and eare lusteð. a 1225 Ancr. R. 98 Sing ine min earen. a 1300 Cursor M. 5140 A messager, Þat spak al still in his er. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. cxl. Sel. Wks. II. 28 Here he þes wordis, wiþ ere and herte. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame 2068 Tho thinges that I herde there, What a loude and what in eere. 1432–50 tr. Higden (1865) I. 411 If thou putte thyne eiere to hit thou schalle here a maruellous sownde. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 27 He rouned in one of his felawes heres. 1620 Shelton Quix. IV. vii. 53 They say Walls have Ears. 1662 Gerbier Princ. 27 To inform either of them in the ear what may be the best for them to choose. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 801 A buzzing Sound of Bees his Ears alarms. 17.. Cowper Ep. ii. 4 Nor ear heard huntsman's halloo. 1859 Tennyson Lancelot & Elaine 893 Till the ear Wearies to hear it. |
b. with
adjs. expressing the character or disposition of the person listening, as
vulgar,
polite,
fastidious,
willing,
sympathetic,
patient.
| 1593 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. xvi, Plausible to vulgar eares. 1631 R. Byfield Doctr. Sabb. 32 This is abhorring to Christian..eares. a 1703 Burkitt On N.T. Mark ix. 8 The obedient ear honours Christ more than..the applauding tongue. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 511 Things unfit for ears polite. |
c. transf. and
fig. esp. as attributed to the mind, the heart, etc., or to quasi-personified objects.
| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 36 Wiþ þe eeris & een of his hert. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 146 No persone may receyue..the counseyles of the holy goost, excepte he haue a spirituall eare. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. v. 35 Stop my houses eares, I meane my casements. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxiii. 126 Those that are appointed to receive the Petitions..of the People..are as it were the publique Eare. 1728 Addison Ps. xix, In reason's ear they all rejoice. 1853 Maurice Proph. & Kings xx. 350 There was an ear in an Assyrian..people which could be opened to hear God's word. 1864 Burton Scot Abr. I. ii. 103 The illustrious Eastern conqueror, whose name fills the ear of fame. |
d. fig. Phrases,
to open one's ears,
incline one's ear(s,
lend an ear (one's ears),
† lay to one's ears: to listen (see
give ear in 6).
to bow down one's ear: to listen graciously.
† to cast aside one's ear: to listen casually.
to be all ears: to be eagerly attentive.
to close, stop one's ears,
turn († give) a deaf ear: to refuse to listen.
† to hear of both ears: to hear both sides, be impartial.
† not to hear of that ear: to be wilfully obtuse on a certain subject, ‘to be deaf on that side of the head’.
to go in at one ear and out at the other: said of discourse that produces no impression on the hearer's mind.
to have itching ears (after 2
Tim. iv. 3): to be eager to hear novelties.
to tickle the ear(s: to gratify with agreeable sounds; hence to flatter, coax; so also,
† to stroke the ears.
to believe one's ears, to credit that one can have heard aright (chiefly with negative expressed or implied).
to bite one's ear, see
bite v. 16.
| c 1375 Lay-Folks Mass-bk. B. 585 Bow doun þin eren. c 1430 Syr Tryam. 59 note, If ye wyll..laye to your eere, Of adventres ye shall here. 1604 Dekker Honest Wh. i. i. Wks. 1873 II. 9 Viola. Then lend me your eares. Fust. Mine eares are yours deare sister. 1611 Bible Prov. iv. 20 My sonne,..incline thine eare vnto my sayings. 1611 ― Ps. xxxi. 2 Bowe downe thine eare to me. 1632 B. Jonson Magn. Lady i. i. (D.) Hang your ears this way, and hear his praises. 1670 G. H. Hist. Cardinals i. iii. 74, I..began to open my ears, the better to understand so efficacious a proof. 1878 Morley Carlyle, Crit. Misc. 202 These are possibilities to which he will lend no ear. |
| c 1430 Lydg. Bochas iii. xxv. 969 a, Of hap, as he kest his eare aside, He, of two porters, the counsaile did espie. |
| 1786 tr. Beckford's Vathek (1868) 88 He was all ear to her charming voice. 1865 Trollope Belton Est. xv. 174, I am all ears. |
| a 1300 Cursor M. 19452 (Gött.) Þa wreches..gun þair erin for to ditt. 1548 Hall Chron. Rich. III, 24 (Halliw.) She began..to relent and to geve to them no deffe are. 1600 Holland Livy xxxiii. xlvii. 850 Scipio Africanus for a long time gave the deafe eare..unto them. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. v. i. 201 [The king of] Bohemia stops his eares. 1835 Thirlwall Greece I. vii. 272 She had turned a deaf ear to the persuasions by which they sought to prevail on her. |
| 1624 Sanderson Serm. I. 239 Our unthankfulness, how foul it is..But we cannot abide to hear on this ear. 1705 Hickeringill Priest-Cr. ii. v. 50 A Man of Understanding..is not apt to pass sentence till he hear of both Ears, and have well pondered, Pro and Con. |
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 5154 For alle yede oute at oon ere That in that other she dide lere. 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. xxi. 125 [A sermon] goes in at the one eare and out at the other. 1726 Amherst Terræ Fil. xxxiii. 173 Let it go in at one ear, and out at the other; never report it again. 1862 Mrs. Gaskell Let. ? 16 May (1966) 923 You know things so often go in at one ear with him & out at another that it will be as well to be quite sure. 1930 ‘Brent of Bin Bin’ Ten Creeks Run v. 52 You might hear a lot that isn't true if you listen to gossip. It's best to let such things go in one ear and out the other. |
| a 1668 Denham Sp. agst. Peace at Close Comm. xi, Did I for this take pains..To stroke the people's ears? |
| 1807 Lamb Tales fr. Shakes. I. 200 Lear at first could not believe his eyes or ears, nor that it was his daughter who spoke so unkindly. a 1885 ‘H. Conway’ Living or Dead (1886) viii, He..blamed my partner, who could scarcely believe his ears. |
4. transf. Used in
sing. and pl. for: The sense of hearing, auditory perception (
cf. similar use of
eye,
palate).
in the ears (rarely ear) of: within the hearing of, so as to be heard by. (
Orig. a Biblical Hebraism, and now somewhat
arch.)
to come to the ear(s of: to come to (a person's) knowledge by hearing; said of facts, reports, etc.
† at first ear: on the first hearing.
| 1297 R. Glouc. 492 It com the kinge to ere. 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 449 The tithandis..Com to the cliffurdis ere. 1382 Wyclif Luke iv. 21 This scripture is fulfillid in ȝoure eeris. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. i. v. 17 A third cause of common Errors is..a believing at first eare what is delivered by others. 1749 Chesterfield Lett. 9 Dec. (1870) 158 Most people have ears, but few have judgment. |
5. (in
sing. only) The faculty of discriminating sounds;
esp. that of accurately recognizing musical intervals. More fully
musical ear,
ear for music. Similarly,
an ear for verse, etc.
to sing or play by ear:
i.e. without the aid of written music. Fig.
phr. to play (it, etc.) by ear, to proceed step by step according to results.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 158 b, In the psalmody..haue a good eare. 16.. Pepys Diary (1879) IV. 139 Singing with my wife, who has lately begun to learn..though her eare is not good. 1674 Playford Skill Mus. ii. 110 To learn to play by rote or ear without Book. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 313 ¶9, I have no Ear for Musick. 1779 Cowper Lett. Wks. (1876) 40, I am convinced..that he has no ear for poetical numbers. 1789 Belsham Ess. I. xii. 220 The ear distinguishes verse from prose. 1837 Disraeli Venetia ii. i. (1871) 104 A fine ear for music. 1839 Edin. Rev. July 496 Miss Austen is like one who plays by ear, while Miss Martineau understands the science. 1873 L. Troubridge Life amongst Troubridges (1966) 7 She plays the piano beautifully and can play anything by ear. 1874 Sayce Philol. vi. 246 The musical ear is..the creation of a high civilisation. 1961 L. Gribble Wantons die Hard xiii. 161 ‘I'm playing this by ear,’ he grunted once when the American queried the devious route he was following. 1961 A. Smith East-Enders xi. 183 ‘What happens then?’ ‘I don't know... We're playing it by ear at the moment.’ 1962 A. Nisbett Technique Sound Studio xi. 195 The relative [sound] levels are judged by ear. |
6. Voluntary hearing, listening, attention. Chiefly in phrases like
to give ear: to listen attentively.
to have (win, gain) a person's ear: to have (obtain) his favourable attention.
| 1503 Hawes Examp. Virt. vi. 83 Gyuynge god ere vnto the vteraunce. 1587 Harrison England ii. i. (1877) i. 23 Your request deserveth little consideration and lesse eare. 1611 Cotgr., Ouye, eare, attention, hearing. 1655 Marquis of Worcester Cent. Inv. in Dircks Life (1865) 384 Never refused me his ear to any reasonable motion. 1701 W. Wotton Hist. Rome Alex. i. 463 They..would..sell his Ear, pretending Interest where they had none. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 1 ¶7 Mr. Kidney..has the Ear of the greatest Politicians. 1727 De Foe Syst. Magic. i. iv. (1840) 103 On condition that thou wilt now..give ear to my instructions. 1826 E. Irving Babylon II. vi. 97 Some messenger powerful enough to take their ear and be heard. 1884 Times (weekly ed.) 31 Oct. 14/3 To gain the ear of the House. |
II. An object resembling the external ear in shape or relative position.
† 7. One of the auricles of the heart.
Obs.| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xxxvi. (1495) 149 Thyse two pyeces ben callyd the eeres of the herte. 1541 R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Chirurg., The hert hath two eares..y{supt} serue for to let the ayre in and out. 1604 E. Grimstone Hist. Siege Ostend 196 The bullet had peirced through his heart, and had stayed in the left eare. 1671 Grew Anat. Plants i. vii. §4 The Fibers of the Ears of the Heart. |
8. a. The handle of a pitcher or drinking vessel, and
dial. of many other things.
[
Cf. Ger. öhr (:—
OHG. ôri,
perh. = OE. {yacu}re, ? spike at the back of an axe),
öse (:—
MHG. œse,
f. base of
OTeut. ˈauson,
auˈzon = ear);
Eng. employs the primary word in this sense instead of a derivative as in
Ger.]
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 141 Ere of a vesselle, ansa. 1522 MS. Acc. St. John's Hosp., Canterb., For a new bayle & an ere..of the bukket. 1534 in Peacock Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866) 211 Item an other basen of latten withowt erys weynge vli. 1602 Plat Delightes for Ladies liv, A deep bottomed bason..with two eares of Iron to hange it. 1697 Dryden Virg. (1806) I. 135 His empty can, with ears half worn away, Was hung on high. 1782 Cowper Gilpin 61 Each bottle had a curling ear. |
b. The part of a bell by which it is hung; a similar part on the ram of a pile-driver, by which it is lifted; ‘the lugs or ear-shaped rings fastened on the larger bombs or mortar shells for their convenient handling with shell-hooks’ (
Adm. Smyth).
| 1484 Churchw. Acc. Wigtoft, Lincolnsh. (Nichols 1797) 80 Paide..for makyng..an ere to y⊇ for bell. 1872 Ellacombe Bells of Ch. i. 4 The various parts of a bell may be described as..the ear or cannon on its top..by which it is hung. |
9. a. Mech. A projection on the side or edge of a piece of machinery or a tool; serving as a handle or attachment, as one of a pair of supports on opposite sides, or for other purposes.
| 1677 Moxon Mech. Exerc. (1703) 2 At the Ear of the upper Bellows board is fastened a Rope. 1874 Knight Dict. Mech., Ear, one of the two projecting parts on the portions of an eccentric strap by which they are bolted together. Ibid. Ear, in Printing, a projection on the edge of the frisket; or one on the edge of the composing-rule. 1876 J. Hiles Catech. Organ iv. (1878) 27 Flue-pipes [of an organ]..are often furnished with ears, that is, pieces of metal or wood projecting from each side of the mouth. |
† b. Used by Dryden in the description of a Roman plough [
transl. L.
auris].
| 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 252 A fastned Beam prepare, On either side the Head produce an Ear. |
10. ears of a pump: ‘the support of the bolt for the handle or break’ (
Adm. Smyth).
11. Naut. See
quot.| c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 116 Ears of boats, the knee-pieces at the fore-part on the outside, at the height of the gunwale. |
12. Bot. and
Conch. = auricle 2.
| 1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 85/1 The Ears, or fines, are such leaves as grow on the foot stalk, either naturally small, or through extravagancy above natures use. 1755 Gentl. Mag. XXV. 32 Ear, is the flat part that in some bivalves spreads from the Cardo, or joint, as in a scalop. 1854 Woodward Mollusca ii. 258 Shell hyaline, posterior ears obsolete, anterior prominent. 1861 Miss Pratt Flower. Pl. III. 183 Corolla with two ears at the base, which remain and crown the fruit. |
13. The part of a cap coming over the ears.
| c 1830 Mrs. Sherwood Houlston Tracts III. lxxvii. 8 The ears of her mob cap untied for the benefit of the air. |
14. artificial ear: an ear-trumpet in the form of a natural ear.
15. pl. A citizens'-band radio, its antenna, or the vehicle carrying it; in
phr. to have one's ears on, to be listening to or operating a CB radio.
slang (chiefly
U.S.).
| 1976 Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 27 Apr. (Advt.), CB spoken here..Ears, a vehicle with a CB antenna. 1976 CB Mag. June 9/1 Now you can let all the ‘good buddies’ know that you've got your ears on and you're ready to modulate! 1976 Perkowski & Stral Joy of CB xi. 127 With antennas as high as 60 feet above the ground, however, there is the possibility that your ears may obstruct air navigation if you are close to an airport. 1977 New Scientist 30 June 764 Because of overcrowding, many a CB enthusiast (called an ‘apple’) is strapping an illegal linear amplifier (‘boots’) on to his transceiver (‘ears’) which is limited by the Federal Communications Commission (‘Big Daddy’ in the US) to an output power of no more than five watts. |
III. Comb. and
attrib. 16. General relations:
a. attributive (portions or natural appendages of the ear), as
ear-drum,
ear-lobe,
ear ridge,
ear-root,
ear-sac,
ear-tip,
ear-tuft; (ornaments worn in the ear), as
ear-jewel,
ear-pendant; (surgical instruments for operating on or examining the ear), as
ear-douche,
ear-lamp,
ear-nozzle,
ear-scoop,
ear-speculum,
ear-spoon,
ear-syringe;
b. objective, as
ear-protector,
ear-whisperer;
† ear-bussing,
ear-catching,
ear-crucifying,
ear-deafening,
† ear-deafing,
ear-erecting,
ear-kissing,
ear-piercing,
ear-pleasing,
ear-splitting,
ear-stunning adjs.,
ear-tickling adj. and
vbl. n.;
c. locative and instrumental, as
ear-labour;
ear-cropped,
ear-directed,
ear-hard adjs.| 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. i. (Qo.), You have heard of the news..I meane the whisper'd ones, for they are yet but *ear bussing [folios here kissing] arguments. |
| 1839 Darby Introd. Beaum. & Fl. (1839) I. 25 Fletcher's *ear-catching language. |
| 1646 J. Hall Poems, To Mr. Hall, Thou need'st no nose-lesse monuments display Or *Ear-cropp'd Images. |
| 1789 Wolcott (P. Pindar) Subj. for Paint. Wks. 1812 II. 110 Raising such *ear-crucifying noise. |
| 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iii. i. 9 The *eare-deaff'ning Voyce o' th' Oracle. |
| 1644 Bulwer Chirol. 8 The noise of some *eare-deafing crowd. |
| 1812 G. Colman Br. Grins, Lady of Wreck ii. xxvi, *Ear-directed by the sound. |
| 1645 Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845) 63 There is carnosity on the *ear-drum. 1798 Edgeworth Pract. Educ. (1822) I. 166 The much-enduring ear-drum of the nursery-maid. |
| 1784 Cowper Task iii. 9 He chirrups brisk his *ear-erecting steed. |
| 1731–1800 Bailey, *Ear Hard, spoken of a Horse. |
| 1725 De Foe Voy. round W. (1840) 126 Made the other pull off his two *ear-jewels also. |
| a 1593 H. Smith Wks. (1866) I. 325 But as we pray, so we hear; the one is a lip-labour and the other is an *ear-labour. |
| 1859 R. Burton Centr. Afr. in Jrnl. R.G.S. XXIX. 130 All distend the *ear⁓lobe: a hole is bored with a needle..and is enlarged by inserting bits of cane. |
| 1648 tr. Senault's Par. upon Job 416 An *Ear-pendant of gold. |
| 1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. iii. 352 Th' *Eare-piercing Fife. 1853 Kingsley Hypatia xxix. 362 Wail on wail, long, wild, ear-piercing, rang along the vaulted roofs. |
| 1641 W. Hooke New Eng. Teares Pref. A ij b, As for this Sermon, expect not *eare-pleasing, but heart-affecting phrases in it. |
| 1884 Health Exhib. Catal. 156/1 *Ear Protector for winter. |
| 1853 Kane Grinnell Exp. xxx. (1856) 263, I wear an *ear-ridge, a tiara, to speak heroically, of wolf-skin. |
| 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Countr. Farm 128 Your Horse..sweateth much, especially in his flanks, at his *eare-roots, and in such like vsuall places. 1709 Lond. Gaz. No. 4540/8 A..Bay Gelding..hath large slouch Ears..very large Ear-roots. |
| 1882 W. K. Parker in Trans. Linn. Soc. II. iii. 166 The huge *ear-sacs are quite perfect as to cartilage. |
| 1895 Arnold & Sons' Catal. Surg. Instrum. 83 *Ear scoop and Eye spud. 1928 V. G. Childe Most Anc. East viii. 189 Tweezers..were combined with prickers and earscoops in regular reticules. 1966 Punch 7 Sept. 344/2 Diggers in the newly excavated Roman villa in Hampshire have found a lot of ear-scoops. |
| 1884 Pall Mall G. 10 Sept. 4/1 The trombones seemed..to drown everything else by their *ear-splitting tones. |
| c 1325 Gloss W. de Bibbesworth in Wright Voc. (1857) 146 Cakenole gloss *herespon. 1878 Sunday at Home 6 July 424/2, I made several purchases, such as..ear spoons. 1921 Chambers's Jrnl. 763/2 Toilet implements as toothpick, tweezers, ear-spoon. 1937 Jrnl. R. Anthrop. Inst. 322 Inca metalwork includes many small objects such as pins, pincers, earspoons, etc. 1969 E. H. Pinto Treen 323 The prevalence of ear spoons in étuis. |
| 1885 Tennyson Tiresias 11 That *ear-stunning hail of Ares. |
| 1884 Academy 10 May 303/1 There is no *ear-tickling, or mere writing for effect. 1801 Southey Lett. (1856) I. 182 It puzzles me how he has learnt to round his sentences so ear-ticklingly. |
| 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. I. xxix. 395 A crescent of black marking the *ear-tips. |
| 1871 Darwin Desc. Man II. xiii. 71 Elegant *ear-tufts are occasionally present. |
| 1549 Olde Erasm. Paraphr. Ephesians Prol., Seduced..by sedicious *eare-whisperours. |
17. Special comb.:
ear-biter slang,
† (
a)
U.S., a special agent of the Post Office
obs.; (
b) an habitual borrower of money, a cadger; hence
ear-biting vbl. n.;
ear-bob (now
vulgar or
humorous),
= ear-drop;
ear-bone, a bone of the ear;
† ear-bored ppl. a. (see
bore v.
1 1 c);
ear-bow, an ornament for a horse's ear;
ear-brisk a. (see
quot.);
ear-brush = aurilave (see
quot.);
ear-bulb (
Anat.), the membranous labyrinth and the cochlea together;
ear-cap (see
quot.);
ear-chamber, the cavity of the internal ear;
ear-clip, an ear-ring,
esp. one that clips on;
ear-conche (
Anat.), the concha or external ear;
† ear-confession, auricular confession;
ear-cornet, a kind of ear-trumpet;
ear-cough, a ‘cough excited through irritation of the external ear’ (
Syd. Soc. Lex.);
ear-covert, a tuft of feathers covering the ear in birds,
= auricular B. a;
ear-deep a., reaching the ears only;
ear-defenders pl., (a pair of) plugs or ear-muffs designed to protect the ear-drums from damage by loud or persistent noise;
† ear-dove,
obs. name of some bird (see
quot.);
† ear-dropper, an eaves-dropper;
ear-exercise, an exercise for training the musical ear;
† ear-finger, the little finger, often put in the ear,
= auricular B. b;
ear-flap, the lobe or the loose part of the ear; the external ear generally; also, a flap of material covering the ear; hence
ear-flapped a.;
ear-fly, a gad-fly belonging to the genus
Chrysops,
esp. C. vittatus, which attacks the ears of horses;
† ear-gristle, the cartilage of the ear, the external ear;
ear-guard,(
a) one who prevents a person from hearing; (
b) a protection for the ears; (
c)
slang (see
quot. 1941);
ear-hole, the aperture of the ear;
dial. used for the ear itself;
ear-hoop U.S., an ear-ring;
† ear-knowledge, knowledge obtained by hearsay;
ear-lap, the lobe of the ear; also the external ear as a whole;
ear-lappet, ?
= ear-covert;
= ear-tab;
† ear-leaf (
Bot.), the cotyledon of a plant;
ear-lechery (see
quot.);
ear-lid (see
quot.);
ear-lock, a lock of hair over or above the ear;
ear-muff orig. U.S., a protection for the ears, in cold weather, from noise, etc.;
ear-nosed a.,
Conch. (see
quot.);
ear-phone, (
a) a device applied to the ears for listening in to radio broadcasting; (
b) a device to aid defective hearing; (
c) a woman's hair-style (current in the 1920s) of a shape reminiscent of the listening device;
ear-piece, an apparatus or a part of one designed to be fitted to the ear, as of a telephone or a radio receiver;
ear-pieces,
ear-plate, part of a helmet covering the ears;
ear-plug, (
a) an ornament worn in the lobe of the ear; (
b) a wad of cotton wool, wax, or other substance placed in the ear to prevent an inrush of cold air or water, or to exclude excessive noise;
ear-port (see
quot.);
ear-reach,
= ear-shot;
† ear-rentingly adv., ? for
ear-rendingly, but
cf. ear-rent;
ear-roll, in a leather helmet, a roll of leather behind the ear;
ear-room (
cf. house-room);
† ear-rowner, an ear-whisperer;
ear-say, erroneously used for
hearsay;
ear-scalp (
Anat.), the skin covering the ears;
ear-shell (see
quot.);
† ear-shrift, auricular confession;
† ear-sore, something disagreeable to the ear (
cf. eyesore);
ear-sore a. (
dial.), irritable, ill-tempered;
† ear-spectacle, an ear-trumpet;
ear-stone, an otolith;
ear-string (
cf. eye-strings,
heart-strings);
ear-stud, a stud,
freq. ornamented, worn in a hole pierced through the lobe of the ear;
ear-tab U.S., a tab,
esp. one affixed to either side of a fur cap, to protect the ear in cold weather (
= tab 13); also,
= ear-phone (a);
ear-training vbl. n., the cultivating of the ability to distinguish and reproduce sounds and rhythms in speech or music;
† ear-wire (see
quot. 1685);
ear-worm, ?
= ear-wig;
fig. a secret counsellor;
ear-wort, a plant supposed to be good for curing deafness,
Dysophila auricularis (
Syd. Soc. Lex.). Also
ear-ache, -drop, -mark, -marked, -pick, -ring, -shot, -trumpet, -wax,
-wise, -witness,
q.v.| 1855 J. Holbrook Ten Yrs. among Mail Bags 27 The restoration of the ‘*ear-biters’ (as they were then sometimes facetiously called). 1934 Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Oct. 21/2 No..earbiters anxious to give you a moral for the lars’. 1940 Wodehouse Eggs, Beans & Crumpets 19 Two things which rendered Oofy Prosser a difficult proposition for the ear-biter. 1954 ― Jeeves & Feudal Spirit i. 10 It is not often that one is confronted with ear-biting on so majestic a scale, a fiver till next Wednesday being about the normal tariff. |
| 1648 Gage West Ind. xii. (1655) 56 Her *eare-bobs of some considerable Jewels. 1869 Pall Mall G. 4 He purchased a pair of ear-bobs. 1938 M. K. Rawlings Yearling xii. 123 Now you jest give me them ear-bobs, you pirate. |
| 1681 Grew Musæum i. v. i. 82 Part of the *Ear-Bone of a Whale. 1901 Jrnl. R. Microsc. Soc. 138 Ear-bones of Opossum. 1915 Shipley & MacBride Zool. (ed. 3) 644 The evolution of the ear-bones in Mammalia. |
| 1658 2nd Narr. Late Parl. in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793) 433 The *ear-bored slavish citizens. 1691 E. Taylor Behmen's Theos. Phil. 64 Are voluntary Ear⁓boared Slaves. |
| 1796 W. Felton Carriages II. 148 The *Earbows are of stiff leather, and covered with lace, or tape. |
| 1731–1800 Bailey, *Ear Brisk , when he [a horse] carries his Ears forward. 1851 S. Judd Margaret ii. viii. (1871) 281 He was an ear-brisk and high-necked critter. |
| 1874 Knight Dict. Mech., *Ear-brush, a toilet instrument for cleaning the ear. |
| 1836–9 Todd Cycl. Anat. II. 529/2 The *ear-bulb..consists of a hard external case. |
| 1847 Craig, *Ear-cap, a cover for the ears against the cold. 1963 Times 4 May 6/4 They will admire the earcaps knitted to protect the horses from flies. |
| 1854 Owen in Circ. Sc. (c 1865) II. 65/2 They contribute..to the formation of the *ear-chamber. |
| 1945 A. Selwyn Retail Jeweller's Handbk. viii. 100 To the diamond mounters must be credited the idea of a new ornament, the *ear-clip (not same as clip-on earring); this lies over the lobe and follows the ear up for a short way. 1951 Catal. of Exhibits, South Bank Exhib., Festival of Britain 39/1 Gold, sapphire and diamond clip, with ear clips and ring. 1958 Times 15 Dec. 11/6 Citrine, diamond and 18 ct. gold Earclips. |
| 1875 Blake Zool. 86 There are no *earconches, lips, teeth, epiglottis..nor scrotum. |
| 1549 Allen tr. Jude's Par. Rev. 37 The articles of auricular and *eare confession, of purgatorye. |
| 1877 Burnet Ear 326 *Ear-cough was known to medical men a long time ago. |
| 1828 Stark Elem. Nat. Hist. I. 233 Head, nape of the neck, and *ear-coverts pale yellow. |
| a 1843 Southey Tri. Woman 376 Content with *ear-deep melodies. |
| 1915 Illustr. London News 16 Jan. 72 (caption) *Ear-defenders for British: a Device to prevent deafening by big guns. 1917 W. Owen Let. 9 Jan. (1967) 424 There is a Howitzer just 70 or 80 yards away... I can't tell you how glad I am you got me the ear-defenders. 1934 Discovery Dec. 345/2 Ear-defenders, small plugs which limit the intensity applied to the ear drum. 1961 Flight LXXX. 933/3 Headsets incorporating ear defender fittings. |
| 1725 Sloane Jamaica II. 304 It had two spots of each side of the neck of a dark colour, whence the name of *Ear-Dove. |
| a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams II. 81 (D), An *ear-dropper might hear such things talk'd at cock-pits and dancing schools. |
| 1887 Birmingham Instit. Mag. Sept. 23 The classes in Harmony—*Ear Exercises, and Sight Singing. |
| c 1000 ælfric Gram. (Z.) 298 Auricularis, *ear-finger. 1644 Bulwer Chirol. 179 To becken with the Eare-finger is their usuall concise expression. |
| 1859 O. W. Holmes De Sauty Pretermit thy whittling, wheel thine *ear-flap toward me, Thou shalt hear them answered. 1876 Lankester Hist. Creation I. i. 13 Our long-eared ancestors..moved their large ear-flaps freely. 1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 882/2 Motor caps... Seal fur caps, with earflaps. 1968 W. Garner Deep, Deep Freeze xxi. 198 He let down the ear-flaps of his fur hat. |
| 1894 A. Conan Doyle S. Holmes 2 Sherlock Holmes, with his sharp, eager face framed in his *ear-flapped travelling cap. 1925 E. F. Norton Fight for Everest, 1924 51 Ear-flapped caps. |
| 1806 M. Lewis Orig. Jrnls. (1905) V. 87 Found here [are] the butterflies, common house and blowing flies, the horse flies, except the gold coloured *ear fly. 1917 Sanderson & Peairs School Entom. 136 The Horse-flies. Tabanidæ... Some are called Ear-flies, some Gad-flies. |
| 1656 W. Dugard Gate Lat. Unl. §206. 57 To the ears are fitted the *ear-gristles, being broad to reflect the sounds, and hollowed with turnings to carry them inwards. |
| 1647 Ward Simp. Cobler 62 Your *Ear-guard will keep farre enough from you what ever I have said. 1939 Auden & Isherwood Journey to War ii. 50 Chinese in skin caps with ear-guards like airmen's helmets. 1941 Baker Dict. Austral. Slang 27 Earguards, small side-whiskers. |
| 1691 Ray Creation (1714) 152 Have very small ears and *ear-holes as the cetaceous fishes have. 1923 J. Manchon Le Slang s.v., Give 'im a plug in the ear-hole! 1962 John o' London's 11 Jan. 27/3 Before you know it you'll be out on your earhole. 1966 New Statesman 25 Feb. 265/2 [In the Wallis Islands] a man can be fined two dollars for entering church with a piece of tobacco stuck in his earhole. |
| 1808 Massachusetts Spy 18 May (Th.), A large assortment of *Earhoops, of different sizes. 1845 S. Judd Margaret i. x. 64 Many wore ear-hoops of pinchbeck, large as a dollar. |
| 1624 Heywood Gunaik. iv. 186 In all this banding of their disreputation..nothing ever came within the compasse of his *eare knowledge. |
| c 1000 ælfric Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 157 Pinnula, *earlæppa, uel ufweard eare. 1561 Hollybush Hom. Apoth. 13 Pull y⊇ patient sore by y⊇ earlap vpwardly. 1880 E. Oppert Forbid. L. iv. 126 The hat is..attached by strings round the earlaps. 1884 tr. Lotze's Logic 40 Aristotle gives risibility as a property of man, Hegel..the ear-lap; both distinguish man from the brutes. |
| 1864 B. Taylor H. Thurston vi. 79 Woodbury recognised, projecting between *ear-lappets of fur, the curiously-planted nose..which belonged to the Rev. Mr. Waldo. 1868 Darwin Anim. & Pl. I. vii. 244 The breeds which..have red ear-lappets. 1869 Ear-lappet [see lappet n. 4]. |
| 1718 Bradley Gardening (1731) 285 If any seed has had Moisture enough to put forth its Radicle never so little, and is after that check'd before the *Ear-Leaves appear. |
| 1737 M. Green Spleen (1738) 20 Hir'd to praise with stallion pen, Serve the *ear-lechery of men. |
| 1552 Huloet, *Eare lydde, or over⁓parte of the eare, pinnula. 1871 T. H. Huxley Anat. Vert. 250 The tympanic membranes [of the crocodile] are exposed, but a cutaneous valve, or earlid, lies above each, and can be shut down over it. 1930 Times 3 July 10/5 Nature..has not provided against assaults upon the hearing, and we have no ‘ear-lid’ by which we can shut out noise. |
| c 1775 Welch in Harper's Mag. (1883) Oct. 736/1 A musket ball [struck] the pin out of the hair of his *ear-lock. 1809 W. Irving Knickerb. (1861) 183 His hair strutting out on each side in stiffly pomatumed ear-locks. 1867 J. R. Lowell Poems (1912) 578 His ear-locks gray, striped with a foxy brown, Were braided up to hide a desert crown. |
| 1859 Rep. Comm. Pat. 1858 (U.S.) II. 572 William P. Ware..[patented an] *Ear, Cheek, and Chin Muff..July 6, 1858. 1889 Kansas Times & Star 30 Nov., A young chap got off a train from the South today... Said they wore no flannels, gloves or earmuffs down at Shreveport. 1906 E. Dyson Fact'ry 'Ands xvi. 215 Well, y' orter wear ear muffs this bitin' weather. 1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 276/2 Ear muffs. 1. Pads of rubber or similar material which are placed on head telephone receivers to minimise discomfort during long use. 2. Large pads for reducing the effect of noise on factory workers. 1954 X. Fielding Hide & Seek ii. 29 Theatrical side-whiskers as thick and furry as ear-muffs. |
| 1705 I. Petiver in Phil. Trans. XXV. 1954 This is distinguisht from the last in being..*Ear-nosed, viz. inclining more towards one end of the hinge. |
| 1924 Glasgow Herald 24 Dec. 6 With a slight effort of the imagination we can forget *earphones and valves. 1927 Radio Times 22 Apr. 145/1 One might even suppose that you had never in your life put on a pair of earphones or listened to a loud speaker. 1928 J. F. Barnhill Nose, Throat & Ear 583 Ear phones..are the most serviceable present means of aiding impaired hearing. 1964 M. Drabble Garrick Year iv. 57, I spent hours trying to put my hair into earphones. 1965 Punch 17 Mar. 404/3 Only two of the sound films..have subtitles, the others being shown with ‘earphone commentary’. 1967 Lebende Sprachen XII. 136/2 Earphones, headphones, a device worn in or on the ear for listening to a sound source. |
| a 1843 Southey Comm.-Pl. Bk. Ser. ii. (1849) 644 The morion should be without *ear-pieces. 1853 W. O. Markham tr. Skoda's Auscult. 29 The ear-piece may be convex, concave, or plane, provided the disk forming it be large enough to close the ear completely. 1882 Leisure Hour XXXI. 312/1 In front of the coil is placed a thin disc of iron (H), which is fitted into an ear-piece (I) [of the telephone]. 1904 F. Lynde Grafters xxvii. 352 The train-master dropped the ear-piece of the telephone. 1909 Practitioner Dec. 862 The ear-pieces should fit closely and accurately into the external auditory meatus. 1916 ‘Boyd Cable’ Action Front 185 The earpiece receiver strapped tightly over one ear. 1923 A. Huxley Antic Hay x. 156 For business, tortoiseshell rims and nickel ear-pieces lend incisive poise. 1928 Galsworthy Swan Song i. iv. 29 Soames..took up the earpieces of the wireless. 1962 Which? Feb. 42/2 Table I shows which radios had earpieces, sometimes included in the price. |
| 1622 F. Markham Bk. War i. ix. §3. 34 A Spanish Morian..bound downe with lined *eare-plates vnderneath his chinne. |
| 1904 Nature 9 June 138/1 Numerous copper ornaments..such as pendants and *ear-plugs. 1904 Daily Chron. 5 Sept. 8/3 We should like..to see the use of ear-plugs spread, for many cases of ear trouble are brought into activity by the inrush of water during diving or swimming. 1940 Nature 17 Aug. 219/2 The methods of protection of the ears against explosive sounds are very simple. One of these, the earplug, has..always been used extensively by gunners and others in the presence of intensive noise. 1955 E. Pound Classic Anthol. ii. 140 In the old Capital officers wore ear-plugs fittingly Of sea stones (common jade). 1959 Daily Tel. 19 Aug. 10/5 B.O.A.C. stewardesses, ground receptionists and other staff who have to work near jet airliners are to have miniature ear plugs. |
| 1751 Smollett Per. Pic. xcix. Wks. (1797) IV. 461 Your *ear-ports will let in the sound. |
| 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. v. xviii. ii. §6 Some invisible eare might lie in ambush within the *Eare-reach of his words. |
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. (1613) 63 Roaring and *eare-rentingly exclaiming. |
| 1909 Westm. Gaz. 23 Sept. 12/3 One of the regulations was that competitors had to wear *ear-rolls to facilitate their hearing when other riders wished to overtake them. 1922–3 Halford Cycle Co. Ltd. 110 Helmets. Leather, with Ear Rolls. |
| a 1656 Bp. Hall Select Th. §48 Som there are that will not give so much as *ear-room to the Word of Truth. |
| ? 1388 Wimbeldon Serm. in Hatton MS. 57 p. 11 (Halliw.) It is good that every lorde of the comunte be not lad bi folis, nor bi noon othir *ere-rownerys. |
| 1817 Coleridge Biog. Lit. I. iii. 53, I have only *ear-say evidence. |
| 1872 Mivart Elem. Anat. 396 This part is distributed to the *ear-scalp and the muscles of the mouth. |
| 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., *Ear Shell, auris marina, in natural history, the name of a genus of shell-fish. 1838 Penny Cycl. XII. 14/2 This section of Gastropods [Haliotidæ] commonly called ‘Ear-shells’ or ‘Sea-ears’. |
| 1554 T. Sampson in Strype Eccl. Mem. III. App. xviii. 50 But this is so far from their *ear-shrift. 1604 Babington Notes Levit. Wks. (1637) 385 Our Popish Teachers would gather an argument for their Auricular Confession and Eare-shrift. |
| 1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits viii. (1596) 106 It is rather an head-ach than an *eare-sore. a 1704 T. Brown Wks. (1760) I. 306 (D.) The perpetual jangling of the chimes..is no small ear-sore to us. |
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §285 Mark whether any Sound abroad in the open Air, will not be heard distinctly, from further distance, than without that Instrument; being (as it were) an *Eare-spectacle. |
| 1854 Badham Halieut. 171 The large *ear-stones, which..characterise all the members of the present group [the gurnard group]. |
| 1810 Southey Kehama, The *ear-strings throb as if they were rent. |
| [1873 Young Englishwoman Sept. 443/1 The most recherché..is the small diamond earring, riveted into the ear like a stud.] 1939–40 Army & Navy Stores Catal. 463/1 Pair Cultured Pearl *Earstuds. 1961 Times 6 June 22/6 A pair of circular-cut diamond earstuds. 1966 R. Petrie Dead Loss vi. 44, I could get stud earrings, vulgar-big, from Woolworths... Big white plastic ear-studs. |
| 1855 Knickerbocker Feb. 199 In stable-yards, old-looking black boys, in cat-skin caps, with *ear-tabs to them. 1909 N.Y. Even. Post 28 Jan. (Th.), With the first really cold weather of the winter, there appeared on Broadway the vendors of ear-tabs. 1922 Short Stories Feb. 36/1 An experience much like the one I had had in the wireless station... Sprague gave me one set of ear tabs and took the other for himself. |
| 1899 F. G. Shinn Elem. Ear-Training I. p. iii, The author believes that the placing of the subject of direct *ear-training in a prominent position in schemes of musical education, will..raise the standard demanded of public and private performances. 1921 H. E. Palmer Princ. Language-Study 17 If his ear-training is neglected during the elementary stage, he will replace foreign sounds by native ones. 1929 I. C. Ward Phonetics Eng. (1931) iii. 17 Ear-training exercises. 1947 Penguin Music Mag. May 49 The lessons should be as varied as possible: a little ear-training, a little sight-reading.., a few finger exercises. |
| 1659 Feltham Low Countries (1677) 54 Their *Ear-wyres have so nipt in their Cheeks. 1685 Cooke Marrow of Chirurg. (ed. 4) v. i. 221 The Ear-wires worn by women to fix their Head-clothes too to keep them on. |
| 1598 tr. Linschoten's Voy. i. xl. 84/2 They [in India] can hardly kepe any paper..from wormes, which are like *eare-wormes. a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams II. 152 There is nothing in the oath to protect such an ear-worm, but he may be appeached. |
▸
ear candle n. Alternative Med. a specially made, usually hollow, candle for use in ear candling.
| 1992 Evening Standard 30 Nov. 6/5 *Ear candles, handed down by America's Hopi Indians, proved a major attraction at the Festival Of Tales From The Earth. 2004 Nat. Health Nov. 83/3 You could also use ear candles to gently remove the softened wax. |
▸
ear candling n. Alternative Med. the practice of inserting the tapered end of a specially made (usually hollow) candle into the ear, in the belief that earwax and other impurities are drawn out of the ear canal by a partial vacuum created by the candle flame.
| 1993 San Francisco Chron. 18 Feb. b4/5 How about the ancient Chinese technique of ‘*ear candling’? 2002 Edmonton Sun (Electronic ed.) 10 Feb. (Lifestyle section), Head to Toe Skin Care offers a wide range of services: manicures, pedicures..reflexology, ear candling, eyelash tinting, [etc.]. |
▸
ear candy n. colloq. (chiefly
U.S.) music which has an instant and direct appeal, but is not felt to have any lasting impact or significance;
cf. eye-candy n. at
eye n.1 Additions,
arm candy n. at
arm n.1 Additions.
| 1977 H. Reddy Ear Candy (title of record) *Ear candy. 1984 Time 27 Feb. 96 Synthesizers are enjoying a particular vogue..because, in the words of one composer-arranger, ‘they fulfill pop music's never ending quest for fresh ear candy.’ 2000 Guardian 8 Dec. (Friday Review section) 24/6 While the promise isn't quite fulfilled..it makes for pleasant ear candy. |
▪ II. ear, n.2 (
ɪə(r))
Forms: 1
éar,
eher,
æhher,
æchir, 2
eher, 3
er, 3–5
ere, 5
eere,
ȝer, 6–7
eare, 7–
ear. For
Sc. forms see
icker.
[OE. éar (WS.), eher, æhher (Northumb.), æchir (? Mercian) = OHG. ehir, ahir, (MHG. eher neut., mod.G. ähre fem., Du. aar), ON. ax (Sw., Da. ax), Goth. ahs (genit. ahsis) neut.:—OTeut. *ahoz-, of same meaning = Lat. acus (genit. -ĕris) neut., husk of corn. Words radically of the same origin and signification are awn, ail n.2] a. A spike or head of corn; the part of a cereal plant which contains its flowers or seeds.
in († OE. on) the ear,
in ear: said of corn when in the stage at which it bears ears;
cf. in flower.
| a 800 Corp. Gloss. 1892 Spicas, ear. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xii. 1 Hys leorning-cnihtas..ongunnun pluccian þa ear [c 950 Lindisf. eheru; c 975 Rushw. æchir; c 1160 Hatton ear]. Ibid. Mark iv. 28 Syþþan fullne hwæte on þam eare [c 950 Lindisf. eher; c 975 Rushw. æhher; c 1160 Hatton eare]. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2104, Vii. eares wexen fette of coren. 1297 R. Glouc. 490 Tho grene corn in Somer ssolde curne, To foule wormes muchedel the eres gonne turne. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. clvi. (1495) 707 The heedis of corn eres ben arerid vpwarde. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. vii. 16 Now gynneth barly ripe and is to amende Er the eere to breke and shedde it. 1483 Cath. Angl. 116 An Ere of corne; spica, arista. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon 136 We oughte to ryde now..while the corne is in the eere. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §13 Sprot-barley hath a flat eare. 1611 Bible Ex. ix. 31 Barley was in the ear. 1740 Somerville Hobbinol ii. (1749) 133 The ripen'd Grain, whose bending Ears Invite the Reaper's Hand. 1819 J. Q. Adams in C. Davies Metr. Syst. iii. (1871) 93 Thirty-two kernels of wheat from the middle of the ear. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I, Marking each little object on his road, An insect, sprig of grass, and ear of grain. |
b. ear of corn, a head of maize. Also
ellipt. N. Amer.| 1622 Mourt's Relation 21 We..found a fine new Basket full of very faire corne of this yeare, with some 36. goodly eares of corne. c 1665 P. E. Radisson Voyages (1885) 78 Each takes an ear of corne and putts in their mouths. 1831 J. M. Peck Guide for Emigrants ii. 156 The ears [of Virginia corn] are usually five or six feet, and often more from the ground. 1880 Webster Suppl. s.v. Head, In the U.S., ear is used of Indian corn alone. 1894 Vermont Agric. Rep. XIV. 42 The ears (grain and cobs) are of course digestible. 1958 Edmonton (Alberta) Jrnl. 26 July 39/4 The staff..reported harvesting about 300 ears of Altagold corn. |
▪ III. † ear, n.3 Obs. rare—1.
Forms: 5
yere, 7
eare.
[f. ear v.] The action of ploughing; a ploughing. Also in
comb., as
ear-land,
ear-time.
| c 1460 Towneley Myst. 12 At yere time I sew fare corn. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Countr. Farm 35 Hee shall giue the second eare vnto those his grounds that are most barren. 1693 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. 516 Ear-land, arvum. |
▪ IV. ear, n.4 dial. ‘A west country term for a place where hatches prevent the influx of the tide’ (
Adm. Smyth).
▪ V. ear, v.1 Obs. exc. arch. (
ɪə(r))
Forms: 1
eriȝan, 1–2
erien, (3
ærien), 3–5
ere(n, (
eer), 6–8
eare, 7–
ear. (3–5
here, 5
eryyn,
eiere, 6
eire,
eyr, 6–8
Sc. dial. are, 7
ayre.)
[Common Teut.: OE. ęrian = OFris. era, ODu. erien, OHG. erran, erren, (MHG. eren, ern, early mod.G. aren), ON. erja, Goth. arjan:—OTeut. *arjan, f. WAryan root *ar to plough, whence Gr. ἀρό-ειν, L. ar-āre, Ir. airim.] 1. trans. To plough, till (the ground); also, to turn
up (the ground), to throw
up (an object) with a plough.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xiv. 4 (Gr.) Þeah him mon eriᵹan scyle æcera þusend. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xxiv. 135 Hæfst ðu æceras to eriᵹenne. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 201 For ye non erþe ne eren. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 141 Eryyn londe, aro. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 184 To tille a felde man must..eree it uppe bydene. 1513 Douglas æneis vii. ix. 140 And wyth ane hundreth plewis the land he aryt. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 23 After that he tempereth it with dong, than eareth it, soweth it, and haroweth it. 1587 Harrison England i. xxiv. (1877) i. 361 A siluer saucer..was eared vp by a plough. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 505 When you ere it [the ground] vp with the plough. 1607 Norden Surv. Dial. 181 A plow will ayre an Acre a day. 1721–1800 Bailey, To Ear, or Are, to till, plough, or fallow the Ground. 1855 Singleton Virgil I. 83 But if you'll ear the soil For wheaten harvest. |
b. absol.| a 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xvii. 7 Hwylc eower hæfþ eriᵹendne þeow. c 1205 Lay. 10030 Heo gunnen to ærien. 1297 R. Glouc. 21 Heo..erede and sewe, So þat in lutel while gode cornes hem grew. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas i. xix. (1554) 35 b, If ye not had hered in my calf. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 74/4 The oxen erid in the ploughe. 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. ix. 10 That he which eareth should ear in hope. c 1630 in Risdon Surv. Devon §77 (1810) 78 Plough with a golden coulter, And eare with a gilded shere. |
2. transf. and
fig.| c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 28, I wolde have told you fully..But all this thing I moste as now forbere. I have..a large feeld to ere. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 271/3 With the plough of his tonge erye the feldes unresonable. 1558 Phaër æneid ii. F ij, Long pilgrimage you haue to pas, huge feelde of seas to eare. 1600 Fairfax Tasso i. xiv. 22 The field of loue, with plow of vertue eared. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. i. iv. 49 Make the Sea serue them; which they eare and wound With keeles. |
Hence
eared,
earing ppl. adjs.;
earer n., a ploughman.
| 1382 Wyclif Isa. xxviii. 24 Whether al day shal ere the erere, that he sowe. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame i. 485 Without toune, house, or tree..or eared land. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 141 Eryar of londe, arator. 1565 J. Calfhill Answ. Treat. Crosse (1846) 178 He maketh many mysteries of the Cross: as the hoised sail, the earing plough, the blowing winds. 1594 ? Greene Selimus Wks. 1881–3 XIV. 244 The vnmanured land, Which answeres not his earers greedie mind. |
▪ VI. ear, v.2 (
ɪə(r))
Also 7
eare.
[f. ear n.2] a. intr. Of corn: To produce ears, come into ear.
| 1442 Three K. Cologne (Bedf. MS.) vii, [In Palestine] atte Cristemasse barly bygynneth to ere. 1610 G. Fletcher Christ's Vict. in Farr S.P. (1848) 56 Thou with corn canst make this stone to eare. 1776 Barker in Phil. Trans. LXVI. 373 The barley..not earing well on account of the dry season. 1797 Holcroft Stolberg's Trav. (ed. 2) III. lxxvii. 157 The rye was..beginning to ear. |
b. Of maize.
N. Amer.| 1624 Capt. J. Smith Virginia vi. 239 The stalke was first set, began to eare ere it came to halfe growth, and the last not like to yeeld any thing at all. 1896 Vermont Agric. Rep. XV. 71 Usually it [sc. the Red Cob] does not ear. |
▪ VII. † ear, v.3 Obs. [f. ear n.1; in some cases perh. a misspelling for hear.] trans. To give ear to.
| 1583 Stanyhurst æneis iv. (Arb.) 117 You Gods..Eare this I doe craue you. a 1626 Fletcher Two Noble Kinsm. iii. i, Thou knew'st..I ear'd her language. |
▪ VIII. ear dial. var. of
nere, kidney.