ear

I. noun Etymology: Middle English ere, from Old English ēare; akin to Old High German ōra ear, Latin auris, Greek ous Date: before 12th century 1. a. the characteristic vertebrate organ of hearing and equilibrium consisting in the typical mammal of a sound-collecting outer ear separated by the tympanic membrane from a sound-transmitting middle ear that in turn is separated from a sensory inner ear by membranous fenestrae b. any of various organs (as of a fish) capable of detecting vibratory motion 2. the external ear of humans and most mammals 3. a. the sense or act of hearing b. acuity of hearing c. sensitivity to musical tone and pitch; also the ability to retain and reproduce music that has been heard d. sensitivity to nuances of language especially as revealed in the command of verbal melody and rhythm or in the ability to render a spoken idiom accurately 4. something resembling a mammalian ear in shape, position, or function: as a. a projecting part (as a lug or handle) b. either of a pair of tufts of lengthened feathers on the head of some birds 5. attention, awareness <

lend an ear

> 6. a space in the upper corner of the front page of a periodical (as a newspaper) usually containing advertising for the periodical itself or a weather forecast 7. a person who listens ; listener <

looking for a friendly ear

> II. noun Etymology: Middle English er, from Old English ēar; akin to Old High German ahir ear, Old English ecg edge — more at edge Date: before 12th century the fruiting spike of a cereal (as wheat or Indian corn) including both the seeds and protective structures III. intransitive verb Date: 14th century to form ears in growing <

the rye should be earing up

>