Definition of 'hear'

Word Frequency

hear

(hɪəʳ )

Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense hears , present participle hearing , past tense, past participle heard (hɜːʳd )

1. verb

When you hear a sound, you become aware of it through your ears.

She heard no further sounds. [VERB noun]

The trumpet can be heard all over their house. [VERB noun]

They heard the protesters shout: 'No more fascism!'. [VERB noun infinitive]

And then we heard the bells ringing out. [VERB noun verb-ing]

I'm not hearing properly. [VERB]

Synonyms: overhear, catch, detect More Synonyms of hear

2. verb

If you hear something such as a lecture or a piece of music, you listen to it.

You can hear commentary on the match in about half an hour's time. [VERB noun]

I don't think you've ever heard Doris talking about her emotional life before. [VERB noun verb-ing]

I'd love to hear it played by a professional orchestra. [VERB noun -ed]

[Also V n inf]

Synonyms: listen to, heed, attend to, eavesdrop on More Synonyms of hear

3. verb [no cont]

If you say that you can hear someone saying something, you mean that you are able to imagine hearing it.

Can't you just hear the clichés roll? [VERB noun]

'I was hot,' I could still hear Charlotte say with her delicious French accent. [VERB noun infinitive]

4. verb

When a judge or a court of law hears a case, or evidence in a case, they listen to it officially in order to make a decision about it.

[formal]

The jury have heard evidence from defence witnesses. [VERB noun]

He had to wait months before his case was heard. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: try, judge, examine, investigate More Synonyms of hear

5. verb

If you hear from someone, you receive a letter, email, or phone call from them.

Drop us a line, it's always great to hear from you. [VERB + from]

The police are anxious to hear from anyone who may know her. [VERB from noun]

6. verb

In a debate or discussion, if you hear from someone, you listen to them giving their opinion or information.

What are you hearing from people there? [VERB + from]

7. verb

If you hear some news or information about something, you find out about it by someone telling you, or from the radio or television.

My mother heard of this school through Leslie. [V + of/about]

...the rumours I've been hearing about for years. [Vof/about n]

He had heard that the trophy had been sold. [VERB that]

I had waited to hear the result. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: learn, discover, find out, understand More Synonyms of hear

8. verb [no cont]

If you have heard of something or someone, you know about them, but not in great detail.

Many people haven't heard of reflexology. [VERB + of]

...people who, maybe, had hardly heard the word till a year or two ago. [VERB noun]

See have heard sth before

10.

See do/did you hear (me)?

11.

See Hear,hear!

12.

See you can't hear yourself think

13.

See won't/wouldn't hear of sth

14. you could have heard a pin drop

Phrasal verbs:

See hear out

Video: pronunciation of
hear

hear in British English

(hɪə )

verbWord forms: hears, hearing or heard (hɜːd )

1. (transitive)

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. (intransitive; foll by from)

to receive a letter, news, etc (from)

7. hear! hear!

8. hear tell

Derived forms

hearable (ˈhearable)

adjective

hearer (ˈhearer)

noun

Word origin

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

Word Frequency

hear in American English

(hɪr )

verb transitiveWord forms: heard (hɜrd ) or ˈhearing

to perceive or sense (sounds), esp. through stimulation of auditory nerves in the ear by sound waves

to listen to and consider

; specif.,

to take notice of; pay attention to

hear what I tell you

to listen to officially; give a formal hearing to

to hear a child's lessons

to conduct an examination or hearing of (a law case, etc.); try

to consent to; grant

hear my plea

to understand

I hear you

to be a member of the audience at (an opera, lecture, etc.)

to be informed of; be told; learn

to hear a rumor

verb intransitive

to have a normally functioning ear or ears; be able to hear sounds

to listen

to be told or informed (of or about)

Idioms:

Derived forms

hearer (ˈhearer)

noun

Word origin

ME heren < OE hieran, akin to Ger hören (Goth hausjan) < IE base *keu-, to notice, observe > L cavere, be on one's guard, Gr koein, to perceive, hear

Example sentences including
hear

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

They are waiting to hear about whether they qualify.You hear people talking about it for days leading up to the game.The appeal hearing could be heard in summer or autumn next year.She thought others on the beach would have heard screaming if something truly awful had happened.The next scene is in training and we hear him talking about the pressure.The elite refuses to see and hear what the people want.The panel hearing the misconduct case have been told to strike any allegation that she acted with dishonesty.So talk, but listen to hear rather than listen to answer.She wanted to resume her studies but specialists expressed concerns, the Gloucester hearing heard.You may think this is the first time you have heard of this case.