English Reference
Idiom idiom

lend an ear


To listen to someone.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

Please lend an ear to my story.

CONTEXTUAL

If you have a problem, I am always happy to lend an ear and help you think it through.

COMPLEX

The weary traveler sat by the fire, hoping that someone would lend an ear to the strange tales he had gathered during his long journey.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    all ears

    Listening intently; fully focused.

  2. 02

    all eyes and ears

    Very attentive.

  3. 03

    are your ears burning

    Asked of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.

  4. 04

    beat someone round the ears

    To beat (a person) with blows about the head.

  5. 05

    believe one's ears

    To believe that something which one hears is truly the case.

  6. 06

    bend someone's ear

    To bore; to talk too long, especially to one particular person.

  7. 07

    box someone's ears

    To slap someone on the side of the head, usually as an informal punishment.

  8. 08

    burn someone's ears

    To cause blushing of someone's ears due to strong embarrassment.

Last updated August 10, 2026