1. Having no ears: a. of human beings and animals; b. of drinking vessels, etc. (cf. EAR sb.1 7); c. Conch. of bivalve shells.
1611. Cotgr., Essoreillé … Earelesse, without eares, that hath lost his eares.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 105. Earless mammot [misspelt for marmot].
1828. Blackw. Mag., XXIII. 598/2. He was, in fact, earless, eyeless, cheekless, noseless, and chinless.
1854. Woodward, Mollusca (1856), 261. Aucella … left umbo prominent, earless.
1870. E. Peacock, Ralf Skirl., II. 136. Tea was served in dainty little earless china cups.
2. Destitute of the sense of hearing, or of musical ear. Also poet. of places: Where nothing can be heard.
1802. Wordsw., Sonn. To Toussaint l’Ouv. In some deep dungeon’s earless den.
1865. Alex. Smith, Summer in Skye, I. 180. Weary of singing his songs to the earless rocks and sea waves.
1876. Miss Yonge, Womankind, vi. 44. Just as the earless are given up as to music.
