What does hear mean in English?

You can learn hear Pronunciation, Grammar & Synonyms in this most authoritative English Dictionary.

hear Meaning, Definition, Pronunciation, Grammar & Synonyms❤️

hear Meaning & Definition

En [ hɪər]
Us [ hɪr]

Meaning of hear In English

0 to receive or become conscious of a sound using your ears:
- She heard a noise outside.
- My grandfather is getting old and can't hear very well.
- You'll have to speak up, I can't hear you.
- [ + obj + -ing verb ] I heard/I could hear someone calling my name.
- [ + obj + infinitive without to ] At eight o'clock Jane heard him go out.
1 to be told information about something:
- Have you heard the news?
- If you haven't heard by Friday, assume I'm not coming.
- [ + question word ] Have you heard what's happened?
- [ + (that) ] I hear (that) you're leaving.
2 to listen to someone or something with great attention or officially in court:
- I heard a really interesting programme on the radio this morning.
- [ + infinitive without to ] I heard the orchestra play at Carnegie Hall last summer.
- An audience gathered to hear him speak.
- formal Lord, hear our prayers.
- The case will be heard (= officially listened to) by the High Court.
3 to receive or become aware of sounds with your ears:
- [ T ] I can’t hear you with the TV on.
- [ I ] After a long trip on a plane, I don’t hear very well for a few hours.
4 to listen to what someone is saying or sounds being made:
- I heard him interviewed on the radio this morning.
- Have you heard the group’s latest recording?
5 to be told or informed about:
- [ T ] Have you heard the news?
- [ I ] I hadn’t heard about that.
- [ + (that) clause ] I hear (that) your house is up for sale.
- [ T ] I’ve heard a lot about you from my sister and am glad to meet you.

More Definitions of hear

Examples of hear

Can you hear that strange clicking noise?
I could hear someone crying in the next room.
She spoke so quietly that I could barely hear her.
The human ear cannot hear very high-frequency sounds.
We heard some shooting in the night.
I don't want to hear about it - it's no concern of mine!
He was sad to hear that two of his trusted workers were leaving.
I was alarmed to hear that she was coming.

More Examples of hear

Trends of hear

Grammar of hear

0 Hear, see, etc. + object + infinitive or -ing

We can use either the infinitive without to or the -ing form after the object of verbs such as hear, see, notice, watch. The infinitive without to often emphasises the whole action or event which someone hears or sees. The -ing form usually emphasises an action or event which is in progress or not yet completed.
1 Hear that, see that

We use hear that and see that to introduce new pieces of information. When we do this, the verbs hear and see mean ‘understand’ or ‘notice’. We normally use hear when we are thinking of something someone told us, and see when we are thinking about something we read about or saw. We often use the verbs in the present simple and sometimes leave out that:
2 Hear or listen (to)?

‘Hearing’ is an event; it is something which happens to us as a natural process. ‘Listening’ is an action; it is something we do consciously.