Ear sb.¹

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. *(au·son-), auzo·n-, cogn. with L. auris (:—*ausis), Gr. οὗς, Lith. ausis, OSlav. ucho, OIr. ó, of same meaning.]

  I.  The organ of bearing in men and animals. Anatomists distinguish (1) the external ear, consisting of the pinna (the portion that 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.  The external ear.

a. 1000.  Riddles, lxxxviii. 3 (Gr.). Wiht … hæfde an eaʓe 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. Nelson, Jrnl. (1833), 60. 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. Over (head and) ears, up to the ears: fig. deeply immersed in. 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 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.

  a. 1553.  Udall, Royster D., I. i. (Arb.), 12.

1663.  Pepys, Diary, 2 Oct. My wife, who is over head and eares in getting her house up.

1768.  Gray, in Corr. w. 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.

  1610.  Shaks., 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.

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.  Nashe, Pasquil’s Apol., I. C j b. They have all vowed to hale thee out of thy trenches by the head and eares.

1600.  Holland, Livy, XXVI. 592. They would go home to their very houses, and pluck them out by the eares into the street.

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett. (1655), II. xxviii. 39. Which Countries … the Spaniard holds as one would do a Wolf by the ear, fearing they should run away.

1884.  Mary Hickson, Irel. in 17th C., I. Introd. 9. The chiefs … led the ignorant credulous masses by the ears after them.

  1583.  Golding, Calvin on Deut., viii. 45/2. 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 iij b (D.). Shooke mine eares And lickt my lipps, as if I begg’d attention.

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett. (1655), I. § i. xxi. 32–3. 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.

  1883.  W. Norris, No New Th., 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.  Taverner, Erasm. Prov. (1552), 22 b. The apes … skambled and went together by y^e 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 (1610), 1184. They fell together by the ears about the matter, some taking part with the old General, and some with the new.

1663.  Butler, Hud., I. I. 1.

1725.  De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 67–8. They would fall together by the ears about who should go with you.

1755.  Smollett, Quix., I. 353. In one place, we fight for a sword; in another, for a horse,… in short, we are all by the ears together.

1793.  Gouvr. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), II. 282. I saw clearly … that France and England would at length get by the ears.

1868.  in 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. (1677), II. iii. 614 (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…; and then 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.’

1608.  Topsell, Serpents, 67. The drones do vvillingly contain themselues in their own celles … the younger not daring for their eares to breake into their father Lands.

  † g.  Wine of one ear: good wine. [A French idiom of obscure origin.]

1653.  Urquhart, Rabelais, I. v. (1664), 29. It [the wine] is of one eare, well wrought, and of good wooll.

  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 without any disturbance 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, trans. Moquin-Tandon, II. I. 50. In the lowest animals the ear is reduced to a sack filled with a special fluid.

  3.  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 ʓeherde eare ðin.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xiii. 15. Hiʓ hefelice mid earum ʓehyrdon [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.  trans. 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. Mum, 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. 802/146. A buzzing noise of Bees their Ears alarms.

17[?].  Cowper, Ep., ii. 4. Nor ear heard huntsman’s halloo.

1859.  Tennyson, 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. (1611), 47. Plausible to vulgar eares.

1631.  R. Byfield, Doctr. Sabb., 32. This is abhorring to Christian, to naturall eares: no slave is so the masters.

a. 1703.  Burkitt, On N. T., Mark ix. 8 (1739), 47/1. The obedient Ear honours Christ more than than either the gazing Eye, the adoring Knee, or the applauding Tongue.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 512. 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.  Shaks., 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 or other informations of the People, and are as it were the publique Ear.

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.

  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, or 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, attend to my words, incline thine eare vnto my sayings. Ibid. (1611), Ps. xxxi. 2. Bowe downe thine eare to me.

1632.  B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, I. vii. (1640), 17 (D.). Hang your eares This way: and heare 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.  trans. Beckford’s Vathek (1868), 88. He was all ear to her charming voice.

1866.  Trollope, Belton Est., II. iv. 100. I am all ears.

  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 19452 (Gött.). Þa wreches … gun þair erin for to ditt.

1548.  Hall, Chron. Rich. III., p. xlviii. (Halliw.). She began somewhat to relent & to geue to theim no deffe eare.

1600.  Holland, Livy, XXXIII. xlvii. 850. Scipio Africanus for a long time gave the deafe eare unto them.

1611.  Shaks., 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, 34 Serm. (1674), 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. 125/1. It [a Sermon] goes in at the one eare and out at the other.

1726.  Amherst, Terræ Filius, II. xxxiii. 11. Let it go in at one ear, and out at the other; never report it again.

  a. 1668.  Denham, Sp. agst. Peace at Close Comm., xi. (1671), 98 Did I for this take pains…? To stroke the Peoples 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.  Chesterf., 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.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 158 b. In the psalmody … haue a good eare.

1666.  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. 103. 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. (1875), 40/1. I am convinced … that he has no ear for poetical numbers.

1789.  Belsham, Ess., I. xii. 220. By what mark then does the ear distinguish verse from prose?

1837.  Disraeli, Venetia, II. i. (1871), 104. She had a fine ear for music.

1874.  Sayce, Compar. Philol., vi. 232–3. The musical ear is as much the creation of a high civilisation as the eye of the painter.

  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 favorable 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.  Marq. 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, 29 Oct., 8/6. 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., H j a The hert hath two eares … y^t 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 (1682), 46. The Fibers of the Ears of the Heart.

  8.  The handle of a pitcher or drinking vessel, and dial. of many other things.

  [Cf. Ger. öhr (:—OHG. ôri, perh. = OE. ýre, ? spike at the back of an axe), öse (:—MHG. œse, f. base of OTeut. au·son, auzo·n = 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 of fine cleane brasse or latton, with two eares of Iron to hange it.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Past., VI. 26/27. 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^e 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.  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.  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 plow [transl. L. auris].

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 251/57. 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, and above natures use.

1755.  Gentl. Mag., XXV. 32/1. Ears, are the two flat parts 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.

  III.  Comb. and attrib.

  15.  General relations: a. attributive (portions or natural appendages of the ear), as ear-drum, -lobe, ridge, -root, -sac, -tip, -tuft; (ornaments worn in the ear), as ear-jewel, -pendant; (surgical instruments for operating on or examining the ear), as ear-douche, -lamp, -nozzle, -speculum, -syringe; b. objective, as ear-protector, -whisperer; † ear-bussing, -catching, -crucifying, -deafening, † -deafing, -erecting, -kissing, -piercing, -pleasing, -splitting, -stunning adjs., ear-tickling adj. and vbl. sb.; c. locative and instrumental, as ear-labo(u)r, -cropped, -directed, -hard adjs.

1605.  Shaks., 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.  Darley, Introd. Beaum. & Fl., I. p. xxv. Fletcher’s liveliness, bustle, his easy-flowing, *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. 210. Raising such *ear-crucifying noise.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., III. i. 9. The *eare-deaff’ning Voyce o’th’Oracle.

1644.  Bulwer, Chirol., 8. When the noise of some *eare-deafing crowd hath rendred our Tongue unserviceable to declare our minde.

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., I. 129. 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 World (1840), 126. Made the other … pull off his two *ear-jewels also.

a. 1591.  H. Smith, Wks. (1866–7), I. 325. But as we pray, so we hear; the one is a lip-labour and the other is an *ear-labour.

1859.  R. F. Burton, Centr. Afr., in Jrnl. Geog. Soc., XXIX. 130. All distend the *ear-lobe: a hole is bored with a needle or a thorn, and is enlarged by inserting bits of cane, wood, or quills.

1648.  trans. Senault’s Par. upon Job, 416. An *Ear-pendant of gold.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., III. iii. 352. Th’*Eare-piercing Fife.

1853.  Kingsley, Hypatia, II. xiv. 329. 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. (ed. 2), 219/1. *Ear Protector for winter.

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxx. (1856), 263–4. I wear an *ear-ridge, a tiara, to speak heroically, of wolf-skin.

1616.  Surfl. & Markh., Countrey Farme, 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.

1884.  Pall Mall Gaz., 10 Sept., 4/1. The trombones seemed … to drown everything else by their *ear-splitting tones.

1885.  Tennyson, Tiresias, 11. That *ear-stunning hail of Arês crash Along the sounding walls.

1884.  Academy, 26 Aprl, 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.

  16.  Special comb.: ear-bob (now vulgar or humorous), = EAR-DROP; † 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-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-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; † ear-gristle, the cartilage of the ear, the external ear; † ear-guard, one who prevents a person from hearing; ear-hole, the aperture of the ear; dial. used for the ear itself; † 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-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-nosed a., Conch. (see quot.); ear-pieces, ear-plate, part of a helmet covering the ears; ear-port (see quot.); ear-reach, = EAR-SHOT; † ear-rentingly adv., ? for ear-rendingly, but cf. EAR-RENT; 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; † earsore, 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-wire (see quot. 1685); ear-worm, ? = EARWIG; 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.

1648.  Gage, West Ind., xii. (1655), 56. Her *eare-bobs of some considerable Jewels.

1869.  Pall Mall Gaz., 4 Aug., 4/1. He purchased a pair of ‘ear-bobs.’

1658.  2nd Narr. Late Parl., in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793), 423/2. The *ear-bored slavish citizens.

1691.  E. Taylor, Behmen’s Theos. Philos., 64. Are voluntary Ear-boar’d Slaves.

1796.  W. Felton, Carriages, II. 148. *Earbows, are of stiff leather, made flat, or sewed round; 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.

1854.  Owen, in Circ. Sc. (c. 1865), II. 65/2. They contribute … to the formation of the *ear-chamber.

1875.  Blake, Zool., 86. There are no *earconches, lips, teeth, epiglottis … nor scrotum.

1549.  Allen, trans. Jude’s Par. Rev., p. xxxvii. 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.

1793.  Southey, Triumph of Woman, 376. Content with *ear-deep melodies.

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. (1693), 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, in Poet. Wks. (1883), 183/1. Pretermit thy whittling, wheel thine *ear-flap toward me, Thou shalt hear them answered.

1876.  E. R. Lankester, trans. Haeckel’s Hist. Creation, I. i. 13. Our long-eared ancestors … moved their large ear-flaps freely and actively.

1656.  W. Du Gard, trans. Comenius’ 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 (ed. 3), 59–60. Your *Eare-guard will keep farre enough from you, what ever I have said.

1691.  Ray, Creation (1714), 152. Have very small Ears, and *Ear-holes, as the Cetaceous Fishes have for hearing in the Water.

1624.  Heywood, Gunaik., IV. 186. Yet in all this banding of their disreputation, and the kings infamy, nothing euer came within the compasse of his *eare knowledge or suspition.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 157. Pinnula, *earlæppa, uel ufweard eare.

1561.  Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 13. Pull y^e patient sore by y^e earlap vpwardly.

1880.  E. Oppert, Forbid. L., iv. 126. A separate, tight-fitting cap … attached by strings round the earlaps.

1884.  trans. Lotze’s Logic, 40. Aristotle gives risibility as a property of man, Hegel, in a similar sense, the ear-lap; both distinguish man from the brutes.

1868.  Darwin, Anim. & Pl., I. vii. 244. The breeds which … have red *ear-lappets.

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 overparte of the eare, pinnula.

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.

1705.  J. 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.

a. 1843.  Southey, Comm.-pl. Bk., Ser. II. (1849), 644/1. The morion should be without *ear-pieces.

1622.  F. Markham, Bk. War, I. ix. § 3. 34. A Spanish Morian … bound downe with lined *eare-plates vnderneath his chinne.

1751.  Smollett, Per. Pic., xcix. (1779), III. 214. Your *ear ports will let in the sound.

1642.  Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., V. xviii. II. § 6 (1648), 458. 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.

1648.  Bp. Hall, Select Th. (1654), 143. Some 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, note. 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. 73. And marke whether any Sound, abroad in the open Aire, 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 more or less characterize all the members of the present group [the gurnard group].

1810.  Southey, Kehama. The *ear-strings throb as if they were rent.

1659.  Feltham, Low Countries (1677), 54. Their *Ear-wyres have so nipt in their Cheeks.

1685.  J. Cooke, Marrow of Chirurg. (ed. 4), V. i. 221. The Ear-Wires worn by Women, to fix their Head-Clothes to, to keep them on.

1598.  W. Phillip, trans. Linschoten’s Voy., I. xl. 84/2. They [in India] can hardly kepe any paper or bokes from wormes, which are like *eare wormes.

a. 1670.  Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1693), 152. There is nothing in the Oath to protect such an Ear-worm, but he may be appeached.