English Dictionary

Definition of “hear”

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hear (hɪəPronunciation for hear) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms: hears, hearing, heard, hɜːd
  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.  when intr, sometimes foll by of or about; when tr, may take a clause as object to be informed (of); receive information (about)  ⇒ to hear of his success have you heard? 
  4. law to give a hearing to (a case)
  5.  when intr, usually foll by of and used with a negative to listen (to) with favour, assent, etc  ⇒ she wouldn't hear of it 
  6. (intr)  foll by from to receive a letter, news, etc (from)
  7. See hear! hear!
  8. See hear tell

Alternative Forms

ˈhearable adjective ˈhearer noun

Word Origin

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

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= overhear, catch, detect,
= listen to heed, attend to, eavesdrop on listen in to give attention to hearken to hark to be all ears for
= try, judge, examine, investigate,
= learn, discover, find out, understand, pick up, gather, be informed ascertain, be told of get wind of hear tell,

Translations

  • British English: hear Pronunciation for hear When you hear sounds, you are aware of them because they reach your ears.I heard the sound of a car. I'm not hearing properly.hɪə VERB I heard the sound of a car. I'm not hearing properly.
  • Spanish: oír Pronunciation for oír v
  • French: entendre Pronunciation for entendre v
  • German: hören Pronunciation for hören v
  • Chinese: 听Pronunciation for 听 v
  • Arabic: يَسْمَعُPronunciation for يَسْمَعُ v
  • Portuguese: ouvirPronunciation for ouvir v
  • Russian: слышатьPronunciation for слышать v
  • Croatian: čutiPronunciation for čuti v
  • Czech: uslyšetPronunciation for uslyšet v slyšet
  • Danish: hørePronunciation for høre v
  • Dutch: horenPronunciation for horen v
  • Finnish: kuullaPronunciation for kuulla v
  • Greek: ακούωPronunciation for ακούω v
  • Italian: ascoltarePronunciation for ascoltare v
  • Japanese: 聞くPronunciation for 聞く v
  • Korean: 듣다Pronunciation for 듣다 v
  • Norwegian: hørePronunciation for høre v
  • Polish: usłyszećPronunciation for usłyszeć v słyszeć
  • Brazilian Portuguese: ouvirPronunciation for ouvir v
  • European Spanish: oír Pronunciation for oír v
  • Swedish: höraPronunciation for höra v
  • Thai: ได้ยินPronunciation for ได้ยิน v
  • Turkish: işitmekPronunciation for işitmek v
  • Vietnamese: nghePronunciation for nghe v

Usage examples

  • Perhaps even Prince Cratyn or King Jasnoff would want to hear his information.
    Jennifer Fallon, TREASON KEEP (2001)
  • Shame you're no good at cricket though," he added mischievously, to plenty of'hear hear 's from the audience.
    Country Life (2005)
  • This has led to legislation that will allow for the creation of an inquiry which will be able to hear evidence in private.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • Richey, who is on death row in Mansfield Correction Unit, Ohio, has yet to hear the news.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • For instance, a manic young man may hear a voice telling him he is the world's greatest footballer.
    Dorothy Rowe, BEYOND FEAR (2002)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'H'

Related Terms

3 results

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