- hear
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v.t.1. to perceive by the ear: Didn't you hear the doorbell?2. to learn by the ear or by being told; be informed of: to hear news.3. to listen to; give or pay attention to: They refused to hear our side of the argument.5. to give a formal, official, or judicial hearing to (something); consider officially, as a judge, sovereign, teacher, or assembly: to hear a case.7. to listen to with favor, assent, or compliance.8. (of a computer) to perceive by speech recognition.v.i.9. to be capable of perceiving sound by the ear; have the faculty of perceiving sound vibrations.10. to receive information by the ear or otherwise: to hear from a friend.11. to listen with favor, assent, or compliance (often fol. by of): I will not hear of your going.12. (of a computer) to be capable of perceiving by speech recognition.[bef. 950; ME heren, OE heran, hieran; c. D horen, G hören, ON heyra, Goth hausjan; perh. akin to Gk akoúein (see ACOUSTIC)]Syn. 1, 2. attend. HEAR, LISTEN apply to the perception of sound. To HEAR is to have such perception by means of the auditory sense: to hear distant bells. To LISTEN is to give attention in order to hear and understand the meaning of a sound or sounds: to listen to what is being said; to listen for a well-known footstep. 4. attend. 7. regard, heed.
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Universalium. 2010.