Quotes

People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude. John C Maxwell

Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. George Orwell

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...' Isaac Asimov

Collocations

can’t hear yourself think
hear! hear!
I hear you
I hear you say/cry
let’s hear it
let’s hear it for
never hear the end/last of it
not want to hear something
you’ll/she’ll/they’ll etc hear about it

hear transitive verb imperfect or past participle Heard (hẽrd); present participle or verbal noun Hearing.] [OE. heren, AS,. hiéran, hȳran, hēran; akin to OS. hōrian, OFries. hera, hora, D. hooren, OHG. hōren, G. hören, Icel. heyra, Sw. höra, Dan. hore, Goth. hausjan, and perh. to Gr. ἀκούειν, E. acoustic. Cf. Hark, Hearken.]

1. To perceive by the ear; to apprehend or take cognizance of by the ear; as, to hear sounds; to hear a voice; to hear one call.

Lay thine ear close to the ground, and list if thou canst hear the tread of travelers. Shak.
He had been heard to utter an ominous growl. Macaulay.

2. To give audience or attention to; to listen to; to heed; to accept the doctrines or advice of; to obey; to examine; to try in a judicial court; as, to hear a recitation; to hear a class; the case will be heard to-morrow.

3. To attend, or be present at, as hearer or worshiper; as, to hear a concert; to hear Mass.

4. To give attention to as a teacher or judge.

Thy matters are good and right, but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 2 Sam. xv. 3.

I beseech your honor to hear me one single word. Shak.

5. To accede to the demand or wishes of; to listen to and answer favorably; to favor.

I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice. Ps. cxvi. 1.

They think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Matt. vi. 7.

Hear him

See Remark, under Hear, intransitive verb

To hear a bird sing

to receive private communication. [Colloq.] Shak.

To hear say

to hear one say; to learn by common report; to receive by rumor. [Colloq.]

Hear intransitive verb

1. To have the sense or faculty of perceiving sound.

“The hearing ear.” Prov. xx. 12.

2. To use the power of perceiving sound; to perceive or apprehend by the ear; to attend; to listen.

So spake our mother Eve, and Adam heard,
Well pleased, but answered not. Milton.

3. To be informed by oral communication; to be told; to receive information by report or by letter.

I have heard, sir, of such a man. Shak.

I must hear from thee every day in the hour. Shak.

To hear ill

to be blamed. [Obs.]

Not only within his own camp, but also now at Rome, he heard ill for his temporizing and slow proceedings. Holland.

To hear well

to be praised. [Obs.]

☞ Hear, or Hear him, is often used in the imperative, especially in the course of a speech in English assemblies, to call attention to the words of the speaker.

Hear him, . . . a cry indicative, according to the tone, of admiration, acquiescence, indignation, or derision. Macaulay.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913