mind's ear
The mental faculty or inner sense with which one produces or reproduces imagined or recalled sounds solely within the mind; the supposed organ within the mind which experiences such sounds.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I can hear the melody in my mind's ear.”
“He hears the ocean waves in his mind's ear while sitting at his desk.”
“Do you hear your own voice in your mind's ear when you read?”
“When I read the sheet music, I can hear the entire symphony playing in my mind's ear.”
“Even though the room is silent, you can hear your mother's laughter in your mind's ear when you look at the old photograph.”
“The poet listens to the rhythm of the words in her mind's ear before she decides to write them down on paper.”
“The composer claimed he could hear the intricate harmonies of his final masterpiece clearly within his mind's ear long before he wrote a single note.”
disputed origin
From the noun mind, the possessive marker -'s, and the noun ear. The term is probably modelled after the older and more established mind’s eye, providing a corresponding auditory internalisation for a well-worn visual metaphor.
- 01
all ears
Listening intently; fully focused.
- 02
all eyes and ears
Very attentive.
- 03
are your ears burning
Asked of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.
- 04
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
- 05
believe one's ears
To believe that something which one hears is truly the case.
- 06
bend someone's ear
To bore; to talk too long, especially to one particular person.
- 07
box someone's ears
To slap someone on the side of the head, usually as an informal punishment.
- 08
burn someone's ears
To cause blushing of someone's ears due to strong embarrassment.
Last updated August 10, 2026