take the wax out of one's ears
To listen more carefully or pay closer attention.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You should take the wax out of your ears and listen to me.”
“If you want to understand the instructions, you need to take the wax out of your ears and focus.”
“The professor paused mid-lecture, suggesting that if the students took the wax out of their ears, they might finally grasp the complexity of the subject.”
- 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