hear

[[t]hɜ͟ː(r)d[/t]]

♦

hears, hearing, heard

1) VERB When you hear a sound, you become aware of it through your ears.

[V n] She heard no further sounds...

[V n] The trumpet can be heard all over their house...

[V n inf] They heard the protesters shout: `No more fascism!'...

[V n -ing] And then we heard the bells ringing out...

I'm not hearing properly.

2) VERB If you hear something such as a lecture or a piece of music, you listen to it.

[V n] You can hear commentary on the match in about half an hour's time...

[V n -ing] I don't think you've ever heard Doris talking about her emotional life before.

[V n -ed] ...if she can hear it played by a professional orchestra. [Also V n inf]

Syn:

listen to

3) VERB: no cont If you say that you can hear someone saying something, you mean that you are able to imagine hearing it.

[V n] Can't you just hear John Motson now?...

[V n inf] `I was hot,' I could still hear Charlotte say with her delicious French accent.

4) VERB When a judge or a court of law hears a case, or evidence in a case, they listen to it officially in order to make a decision about it. [FORMAL]

[V n] The jury have heard evidence from defence witnesses...

[V n] He had to wait months before his case was heard.

5) VERB If you hear from someone, you receive a letter or telephone call from them.

[V from n] Drop us a line, it's always great to hear from you...

[V from n] The police are anxious to hear from anyone who may know her.

6) VERB In a debate or discussion, if you hear from someone, you listen to them giving their opinion or information.

[V from n] What are you hearing from people there?

7) VERB If you hear some news or information about something, you find out about it by someone telling you, or from the radio or television.

[V of/about n] My mother heard of this school through Leslie.

[V of/about n] ...the rumours I've been hearing about for years...

[V that] He had heard that the trophy had been sold...

[V n] I had waited to hear the result...

[V n of/about n] Have you heard anything of the other Englishman?

8) VERB: no cont If you have heard of something or someone, you know about them, but not in great detail.

[V of n] Many people haven't heard of reflexology.

[V n] ...people who, maybe, had hardly heard the word till a year or two ago.

9) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that you have heard something before, you mean that you are not interested in it, or do not believe it, or are not surprised about it, because you already know about it or have experienced it.

Furness shrugs wearily. He has heard it all before...

`How many times have I heard that before?' Merchant complained angrily.

10) CONVENTION (feelings) If you say `Do you hear?' or `Did you hear me?' to someone, you are telling them in an angry or forceful way to pay attention to what you are saying.

If you don't get out I'll call the police. Do you hear?...

Leave her alone! Do you hear me?

11) CONVENTION (formulae) During political debates and public meetings, people sometimes say `Hear hear!' to express their agreement with what the speaker is saying. [BRIT, FORMAL]

12) PHRASE: usu with brd-neg (emphasis) If you say that you can't hear yourself think, you are complaining and emphasizing that there is a lot of noise, and that it is disturbing you or preventing you from doing something. [INFORMAL]

For God's sake shut up. I can't hear myself think!...

If you're sitting in the front yard, you can't hear yourself think because the traffic is getting very, very bad.

13) PHRASE: PHR n If you say that you won't hear of someone doing something, you mean that you refuse to let them do it.

I've always wanted to be an actor but Dad wouldn't hear of it...

He even thought about moving from the village. But his friends wouldn't hear of it.

14) you could have heard a pin drop → see pin

Phrasal Verbs:

- hear out