set by the ears
To make (a person or persons) argue; to set quarrelling.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“His rude comments set the neighbors by the ears.”
“The controversial new policy set the entire department by the ears, leading to heated arguments during the meeting.”
“The sudden announcement regarding the inheritance set the extended family by the ears, effectively destroying the peace they had maintained for years.”
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all ears
Listening intently; fully focused.
- 02
all eyes and ears
Very attentive.
- 03
all set
Ready, prepared, equipped.
- 04
are your ears burning
Asked of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.
- 05
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
- 06
believe one's ears
To believe that something which one hears is truly the case.
- 07
bend someone's ear
To bore; to talk too long, especially to one particular person.
- 08
box someone's ears
To slap someone on the side of the head, usually as an informal punishment.
Last updated August 10, 2026