hear

[ heer ]

verb (used with object)

, heard [hurd], hear·ing.

1. to perceive by the ear:

   Didn't you hear the doorbell?

   Synonyms: attend

2. to learn by the ear or by being told; be informed of:

   to hear news.

   Synonyms: attend

3. to listen to; give or pay attention to:

   They refused to hear our side of the argument.

4. to be among the audience at or of (something):

   to hear a recital.

   Synonyms: attend

5. to give a formal, official, or judicial hearing to (something); consider officially, as a judge, sovereign, teacher, or assembly:

   to hear a case.

6. to take or listen to the evidence or testimony of (someone):

   to hear the defendant.

7. to listen to with favor, assent, or compliance.

   Synonyms: heed, regard

   Antonyms: disregard

8. (of a computer) to perceive by speech recognition.

verb (used without object)

, heard [hurd], hear·ing.

1. to be capable of perceiving sound by the ear; have the faculty of perceiving sound vibrations.
2. to receive information by the ear or otherwise:

   to hear from a friend.

3. to listen with favor, assent, or compliance (often followed by of ):

   I will not hear of your going.

4. (of a computer) to be capable of perceiving by speech recognition.
5. (used as an interjection in the phrase Hear! Hear! to express approval, as of a speech.)

hear

/ hɪə /

verb

1. tr to perceive (a sound) with the sense of hearing
2. tr; may take a clause as object to listen to

   did you hear what I said?

3. whenintr, sometimes foll by of or about; when tr, may take a clause as object to be informed (of); receive information (about)

   have you heard?

   to hear of his success

4. law to give a hearing to (a case)
5. whenintr, usually foll by of and used with a negative to listen (to) with favour, assent, etc

   she wouldn't hear of it

6. intrfoll byfrom to receive a letter, news, etc (from)
7. hear! hear!
   an exclamation used to show approval of something said
8. hear tell dialect.
   to be told (about); learn (of)

Derived Forms

• ˈhearable, adjective
• ˈhearer, noun

Other Words From

• hear·a·ble adjective
• hear·er noun
• out·hear verb (used with object) outheard outhearing
• re·hear verb reheard rehearing
• un·hear·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hear¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English heren, Old English hēran, hīeran; cognate with Dutch horen, German hören, Old Norse heyra, Gothic hausjan; perhaps akin to Greek akoúein ( acoustic )

Word History and Origins

Origin of hear¹

Old English hieran; related to Old Norse heyra, Gothic hausjan, Old High German hōren, Greek akouein

Idioms and Phrases

• another county heard from
• hard of hearing
• never hear the end of
• not have it (hear of it)
• unheard of

Synonym Study

Hear, listen apply to the perception of sound. To hear is to have such perception by means of the auditory sense: to hear distant bells. To listen is to give attention in order to hear and understand the meaning of a sound or sounds: to listen to what is being said; to listen for a well-known footstep.

Example Sentences

The candidates don’t hear from California voters about the acute water troubles in our state.

From Los Angeles Times

Someone asks a question and then it takes a couple of breaths and then they just move on, because we can't slow down to hear them.

From Salon

Paul Simon is sharing his experiences performing with near-total hearing loss.

From Salon

Sara Sharif’s father will be in the “circles of hell for eternity” for what he did to his daughter, a court has heard.

From BBC

The court heard Irwin was handed a suspended prison sentence late last year for repeatedly hitting Miss Render with a wooden rolling pin, and slapping and strangling her.

From BBC

Related Words

• determine
• discover
• find out
• gather
• learn
• pick up
• receive
• see
• understand