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

Several convicted or accused rioters have asked for their trials or sentencing hearings to be delayed because Trump’s promise might affect their cases.

From BBC

He’s heard that by exposing it to the perfect cheeseball pop song — upbeat, sincere — it will excrete a natural hallucinogenic: a profitable slime.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s an incredibly popular law and that makes sense because nobody really likes to be told who to vote for, and people aren’t going to church expecting to hear political lectures,” Markert said.

From Los Angeles Times

During Foden's trial, the court heard colleagues saw him go to his car with one of his victims and hug her.

From BBC

The court previously heard that Sara was hooded, burned and beaten during more than two years of abuse before she was found dead at her family home in Woking, Surrey, last year.

From BBC

Related Words

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