'EAR' definitions:

Definition of 'ear'

(from WordNet)
noun
The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
noun
Good hearing; "he had a keen ear"; "a good ear for pitch"
noun
The externally visible cartilaginous structure of the external ear [syn: auricle, pinna, ear]
noun
Attention to what is said; "he tried to get her ear"
noun
Fruiting spike of a cereal plant especially corn [syn: ear, spike, capitulum]

Definition of 'Ear'

From: GCIDE
  • Ear \Ear\ ([=e]r), n. [AS. e['a]re; akin to OFries. ['a]re, ['a]r, OS. [=o]ra, D. oor, OHG. [=o]ra, G. ohr, Icel. eyra, Sw. ["o]ra, Dan. ["o]re, Goth. auso, L. auris, Lith. ausis, Russ. ukho, Gr. o'y^s; cf. L. audire to hear, Gr. 'ai`ein, Skr. av to favor, protect. Cf. Auricle, Orillon.]
  • 1. The organ of hearing; the external ear. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. The sense of hearing; the perception of sounds; the power of discriminating between different tones; as, a nice ear for music; -- in the singular only. [1913 Webster]
  • Songs . . . not all ungrateful to thine ear. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]
  • 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 ears of a tub, a skillet, or dish. The ears of a boat are outside kneepieces near the bow. See Illust. of Bell. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. (Arch.) (a) Same as Acroterium. (b) Same as Crossette. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. Privilege of being kindly heard; favor; attention. [1913 Webster]
  • Dionysius . . . would give no ear to his suit. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
  • Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 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 (Zo["o]l.), 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 (Zo["o]l.), 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.] [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Ear'

From: GCIDE
  • Ear \Ear\ ([=e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Eared ([=e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Earing.] To take in with the ears; to hear. [Sportive] "I eared her language." --Two Noble Kinsmen. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Ear'

From: GCIDE
  • Ear \Ear\, n. [AS. ear; akin to D. aar, OHG. ahir, G. [aum]hre, Icel., Sw., & Dan. ax, Goth. ahs. [root]1. Cf. Awn, Edge.] The spike or head of any cereal (as, wheat, rye, barley, Indian corn, etc.), containing the kernels. [1913 Webster]
  • First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. --Mark iv. 28. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Ear'

From: GCIDE
  • Ear \Ear\, v. i. To put forth ears in growing; to form ears, as grain; as, this corn ears well. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Ear'

From: GCIDE
  • Ear \Ear\, v. t. [OE. erien, AS. erian; akin to OFries. era, OHG. erran, MHG. eren, ern, Prov. G. aren, [aum]ren, Icel. erja, Goth. arjan, Lith. arti, OSlav. orati, L. arare, Gr. ?. Cf. Arable.] To plow or till; to cultivate. "To ear the land." --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'ear'

From: GCIDE
  • canon \can"on\ (k[a^]n"[u^]n), n. [OE. canon, canoun, AS. canon rule (cf. F. canon, LL. canon, and, for sense 7, F. chanoine, LL. canonicus), fr. L. canon a measuring line, rule, model, fr. Gr. kanw`n rule, rod, fr. ka`nh, ka`nnh, reed. See Cane, and cf. Canonical.]
  • 1. A law or rule. [1913 Webster]
  • Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon 'gainst self-slaughter. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Eccl.) A law, or rule of doctrine or discipline, enacted by a council and confirmed by the pope or the sovereign; a decision, regulation, code, or constitution made by ecclesiastical authority. [1913 Webster]
  • Various canons which were made in councils held in the second centry. --Hook. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. The collection of books received as genuine Holy Scriptures, called the sacred canon, or general rule of moral and religious duty, given by inspiration; the Bible; also, any one of the canonical Scriptures. See {Canonical books}, under Canonical, a. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. In monasteries, a book containing the rules of a religious order. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. A catalogue of saints acknowledged and canonized in the Roman Catholic Church. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. A member of a cathedral chapter; a person who possesses a prebend in a cathedral or collegiate church. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. (Mus.) A musical composition in which the voices begin one after another, at regular intervals, successively taking up the same subject. It either winds up with a coda (tailpiece), or, as each voice finishes, commences anew, thus forming a perpetual fugue or round. It is the strictest form of imitation. See Imitation. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. (Print.) The largest size of type having a specific name; -- so called from having been used for printing the canons of the church. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. The part of a bell by which it is suspended; -- called also ear and shank.
  • Note: [See Illust. of Bell.] --Knight. [1913 Webster]
  • 10. (Billiards) See Carom. [1913 Webster]
  • Apostolical canons. See under Apostolical.
  • Augustinian canons, Black canons. See under Augustinian.
  • Canon capitular, Canon residentiary, a resident member of a cathedral chapter (during a part or the whole of the year).
  • Canon law. See under Law.
  • Canon of the Mass (R. C. Ch.), that part of the mass, following the Sanctus, which never changes.
  • Honorary canon, a canon[6] who neither lived in a monastery, nor kept the canonical hours.
  • Minor canon (Ch. of Eng.), one who has been admitted to a chapter, but has not yet received a prebend.
  • Regular canon (R. C. Ch.), one who lived in a conventual community and followed the rule of St. Austin; a Black canon.
  • Secular canon (R. C. Ch.), one who did not live in a monastery, but kept the hours. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'ear'

From: GCIDE
  • Crossette \Cros*sette"\ (kr?s-s?t`), n. [F., dim. of crosse. See Crosier.] (Arch.) (a) A return in one of the corners of the architrave of a door or window; -- called also ancon, ear, elbow. (b) The shoulder of a joggled keystone. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'ear'

From: Easton
  • Ear used frequently in a figurative sense (Ps. 34:15). To "uncover the ear" is to show respect to a person (1 Sam. 20:2 marg.). To have the "ear heavy", or to have "uncircumcised ears" (Isa. 6:10), is to be inattentive and disobedient. To have the ear "bored" through with an awl was a sign of perpetual servitude (Ex. 21:6).

Synonyms of 'ear'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Acronyms for 'ear'

From: V.E.R.A.
  • Enterprise ARchive (IBM, WBISF)

Words containing 'EAR'