English Dictionary |
HEAR (heard)
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
IPA (US): |
Dictionary entry overview: What does hear mean?
• HEAR (verb)
The verb HEAR has 5 senses:
1. perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
2. get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
3. examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process
4. receive a communication from someone
Familiarity information: HEAR used as a verb is common.
Dictionary entry details
Conjugation: |
Past simple: heard
Past participle: heard
-ing form: hearing
Sense 1
Meaning:
Perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Hypernyms (to "hear" is one way to...):
comprehend; perceive (to become aware of through the senses)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hear"):
catch; overhear; take in (hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers)
catch; get (perceive by hearing)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Sentence example:
They will hear the duet
Derivation:
hearable (heard or perceptible by the ear)
hearing (the ability to hear; the auditory faculty)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
discover; find out; get a line; get wind; get word; hear; learn; pick up; see
Context example:
I see that you have been promoted
Verb group:
find; see; witness (perceive or be contemporaneous with)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hear"):
get the goods (discover some bad or hidden information about)
wise up (get wise to)
catch; trip up (detect a blunder or misstep)
ascertain (learn or discover with certainty)
discover; find (make a discovery)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Sentence example:
They hear that there was a traffic accident
Sense 3
Meaning:
Examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
hear; try
Context example:
The case will be tried in California
Hypernyms (to "hear" is one way to...):
examine; probe (question or examine thoroughly and closely)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hear"):
rehear; retry (hear or try a court case anew)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
hearing (a session (of a committee or grand jury) in which witnesses are called and testimony is taken)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Receive a communication from someone
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Context example:
We heard nothing from our son for five years
Hypernyms (to "hear" is one way to...):
pick up; receive (register (perceptual input))
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 5
Meaning:
Listen and pay attention
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Synonyms:
Context example:
We must hear the expert before we make a decision
Hypernyms (to "hear" is one way to...):
center; centre; concentrate; focus; pore; rivet (direct one's attention on something)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hear"):
incline (bend or turn (one's ear) towards a speaker in order to listen well)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Derivation:
hearer (someone who listens attentively)
hearing (the act of hearing attentively)
Context examples
In a few minutes they heard the pattering of tiny feet, and many of the small gray mice came running up to her.
(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)
I heard of him first in rather a romantic manner, from a lady who owes to him the happiness of her life.
(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)
Again Buck knew them as things heard in that other world which persisted in his memory.
(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)
Though we were in shelter, we could hear the rising wind, for it moaned and whistled through the rocks, and the branches of the trees crashed together as we swept along.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
I was very much shocked to hear of this melancholy accident, and said I thought I had better have some water.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Maybe you’ve heard or read about its potential benefits.
(Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient describe hearing voices or act as if he/she hears voices?
(NPI - Describe Hearing Voices or Act as if He/She Hears Voices, NCI Thesaurus)
Harrison heard the order and understood what was demanded of him, but hesitated.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
He heard the wolfish snarling and yelping of strange dogs and the sound of voices.
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
Does he/she seem to see, hear or experience things that are not present?
(NPI - Hallucinations Such as Seeing False Visions or Hearing False Voices, NCI Thesaurus)
Learn English with... Proverbs |
"As you sow, so shall you reap." (Bulgarian proverb)
"The fruit of silence is tranquility." (Arabic proverb)
"He whom the shoe fits should put it on." (Dutch proverb)