What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Ear vs Listen - What's the difference?

ear | listen |

As a verb ear

is (label) refuse, deny; repel.

As a noun listen is

.

ear

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (m), .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (countable) The organ of hearing, consisting of the pinna, auditory canal, eardrum, malleus, incus, stapes and cochlea.
  • (countable) The external part of the organ of hearing, the auricle.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear , and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.}}
  • (countable, slang) A police informant.
  • * 1976 , Stirling Silliphant, Dean Riesner, Gail Morgan Hickman, .
  • No I'm not kidding, and if you don't give it to me I'll let it out that you’re an ear.
  • The sense of hearing; the perception of sounds; the power of discriminating between different tones.
  • *
  • songsnot all ungrateful to thine ear
  • The privilege of being kindly heard; favour; attention.
  • * (Francis Bacon)
  • Dionysiuswould give no ear to his suit.
  • * (William Shakespeare)
  • Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears .
  • That which resembles in shape or position the ear of an animal; a prominence or projection on an object, usually for support or attachment; a lug; a handle.
  • (architecture) An acroterium.
  • (architecture) A crossette.
  • Alternative forms
    * ere
    Derived terms
    * bend somebody's ear * between the ears * by ear * cauliflower ear * earache * earbud * ear canal * eardrum * earful * earhole * earlobe * earmark * earpiece * earphone * earprint * earring * ears are burning * earshot * earsore * ear to the ground * ear trumpet * earwax * external ear * have one's ears lowered * inner ear * little pitchers have big ears * make a silk purse of a sow's ear * middle ear * mind's ear * out on one's ear * outer ear * surfer’s ear * swimmer’s ear * (ear)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (humorous) To take in with the ears; to hear.
  • * Two Noble Kinsmen
  • I eared her language.

    See also

    * (wikipedia) * (l)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . More at (m).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (countable) The fruiting body of a grain plant.
  • He is in the fields, harvesting ears of corn.
    Synonyms
    * head * spike

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To put forth ears in growing; to form ears, as grain does.
  • This corn ears well.

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (archaic) To plough.
  • * 1595 , William Shakespeare, Richard II :
  • That power I have, discharge; and let them go
    To ear the land that hath some hope to grow,
    For I have none.

    listen

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (lb) To pay attention to a sound or speech.
  • :
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
  • , chapter=1 citation , passage=He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.}}
  • (lb) To expect or wait for a sound, such as a signal.
  • :
  • *
  • *:It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street.. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.
  • *
  • *:He reined Wrangle to a walk, halted now and then to listen , and then proceeded cautiously with shifting and alert gaze.
  • (lb) To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest.
  • To hear (something or someone), to pay attention to.
  • *1485 , Sir (Thomas Malory), (w, Le Morte d'Arthur) , Book XX:
  • *:‘But, sir, lyars ye have lystened , and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.’
  • *1592 , (William Shakespeare), : v 3
  • *:Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.
  • Usage notes

    In English, listen'' and ''hear'' are two primary verbs relating to audial perception. To (hear) represents automatic, unconscious, or passive perception of sound, while ''listen generally represents intentional, conscious, or purposeful use of the sense of hearing. The difference is expressed in the following quotation: : As the silence took hold in the darkness, Sam realized that she had been hearing', though not '''listening to, various low-level sounds—the hum of air conditioning and life support, the pulse of some faraway oxygen pump, the faint buzz of the electrical and lighting systems. —Justin Richards (1999) ''Demontage , chapter 5, page 92. A similar distinction exists between see'' and ''watch in English.

    Synonyms

    * (to pay attention) attend, behear, give ear, hark, hear, heed, list, mind, note, pay attention * (to expect or wait for a sound) await, anticipate, expect, wait for * (to accept advice or instruction) agree, assent, mind, obey * (to hear) hear, mind, heed * See also

    Antonyms

    * (to pay attention) ignore * (to accept advice or instruction) disobey, disregard

    Coordinate terms

    * speak * talk

    Derived terms

    * listenability * listenable * listener * listenership * listening * listen in * listen up * listening post * listening station * relisten * unlistenable

    See also

    * hear