have one's ears lowered
To get a haircut.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I really need to have my ears lowered this weekend.”
“Does your father usually have his ears lowered at the local barber shop?”
“You look a bit shaggy, so you should probably go have your ears lowered before the interview.”
“My brother decided to have his ears lowered because his long hair was getting in his eyes while he played sports.”
“The soldiers are required to have their ears lowered every few weeks to keep their appearance neat and professional.”
“After months of neglecting his appearance, he finally visited the barber to have his ears lowered.”
The expression relies upon the geometrical observation that a haircut alters the distance between the hair’s edge and the ears. It proceeds from the supposition that the resulting exposure of the ears could be achieved with equal efficiency by physically shifting the ears further down the face.
The idiom is recorded as a humorous alternative to the standard description of a haircut, treating a routine cosmetic adjustment as a matter of anatomical relocation. The visual outcome remains the same; the method of arrival is merely more invasive.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026