"turn a deaf ear" meaning in English

See turn a deaf ear in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Audio: En-au-turn a deaf ear.ogg [Australia] Forms: turns a deaf ear [present, singular, third-person], turning a deaf ear [participle, present], turned a deaf ear [participle, past], turned a deaf ear [past]
Head templates: {{en-verb|*}} turn a deaf ear (third-person singular simple present turns a deaf ear, present participle turning a deaf ear, simple past and past participle turned a deaf ear)
  1. (figuratively, transitive with to) To refuse to listen to something. Tags: figuratively Related terms: fall on deaf ears, preach to deaf ears, turn a blind eye Translations (to refuse to listen or hear something): 充耳不聞 (Chinese Mandarin), 充耳不闻 (chōng'ěrbùwén) (Chinese Mandarin), kaikua kuuroille korville (note: subject is the thing that is ignored or disregarded) (Finnish), faire la sourde oreille (French), facerse o xordo (Galician), (gegenüber etwas) sich taub stellen (German), a füle botját sem mozdítja (Hungarian), láta sem vind um eyru þjóta (Icelandic), láta eins og vind um eyru þjóta (Icelandic), daufheyrast við (Icelandic), skella skolleyrum við (Icelandic), fare orecchi da mercante (Italian), 聞く耳を持たぬ (kiku mimi o motanu) (alt: きくみみをもたぬ) (Japanese), tetērongo (Maori), whakatuturi (Maori), whātuturi (Maori), vende det døve øret til (Norwegian Bokmål), puszczać mimo uszu [imperfective] (Polish), puścić mimo uszu [perfective] (Polish), пропуска́ть ми́мо уше́й (propuskátʹ mímo ušéj) (Russian), hacerse el sordo (Spanish), hacer oídos sordos (Spanish), slå dövörat till (Swedish)

Download JSON data for turn a deaf ear meaning in English (5.1kB)

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "turns a deaf ear",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "turning a deaf ear",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "turned a deaf ear",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "turned a deaf ear",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
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  "head_templates": [
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      "expansion": "turn a deaf ear (third-person singular simple present turns a deaf ear, present participle turning a deaf ear, simple past and past participle turned a deaf ear)",
      "name": "en-verb"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
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      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
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          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English predicates",
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        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Japanese terms with redundant script codes",
          "parents": [
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        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with redundant transliterations",
            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "They turned a deaf ear to her entreaties.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To refuse to listen to something."
      ],
      "id": "en-turn_a_deaf_ear-en-verb-a37WCPgi",
      "links": [
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        [
          "refuse",
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        [
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      ],
      "qualifier": "transitive with to",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively, transitive with to) To refuse to listen to something."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "fall on deaf ears"
        },
        {
          "word": "preach to deaf ears"
        },
        {
          "word": "turn a blind eye"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "充耳不聞"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "chōng'ěrbùwén",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "充耳不闻"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "note": "subject is the thing that is ignored or disregarded",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "kaikua kuuroille korville"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "faire la sourde oreille"
        },
        {
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "facerse o xordo"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "(gegenüber etwas) sich taub stellen"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "a füle botját sem mozdítja"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "láta sem vind um eyru þjóta"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "láta eins og vind um eyru þjóta"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "daufheyrast við"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "skella skolleyrum við"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "fare orecchi da mercante"
        },
        {
          "alt": "きくみみをもたぬ",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "kiku mimi o motanu",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "聞く耳を持たぬ"
        },
        {
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "tetērongo"
        },
        {
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "whakatuturi"
        },
        {
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "whātuturi"
        },
        {
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "vende det døve øret til"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "puszczać mimo uszu"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "puścić mimo uszu"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "propuskátʹ mímo ušéj",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "пропуска́ть ми́мо уше́й"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "note": "пропусти́ть ми́мо уше́й (propustítʹ mímo ušéj, literally “to let go past one's ears”)",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "hacerse el sordo"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "hacer oídos sordos"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
          "word": "slå dövörat till"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-turn a deaf ear.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/90/En-au-turn_a_deaf_ear.ogg/En-au-turn_a_deaf_ear.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/En-au-turn_a_deaf_ear.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "turn a deaf ear"
}
{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "turns a deaf ear",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "turning a deaf ear",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "turned a deaf ear",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "turned a deaf ear",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
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      "expansion": "turn a deaf ear (third-person singular simple present turns a deaf ear, present participle turning a deaf ear, simple past and past participle turned a deaf ear)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "fall on deaf ears"
    },
    {
      "word": "preach to deaf ears"
    },
    {
      "word": "turn a blind eye"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
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      "categories": [
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English predicates",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English verbs",
        "Japanese terms with redundant script codes",
        "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "They turned a deaf ear to her entreaties.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To refuse to listen to something."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "to",
          "to#English"
        ],
        [
          "refuse",
          "refuse"
        ],
        [
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          "listen"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "transitive with to",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively, transitive with to) To refuse to listen to something."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-turn a deaf ear.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/90/En-au-turn_a_deaf_ear.ogg/En-au-turn_a_deaf_ear.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/En-au-turn_a_deaf_ear.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
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      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "充耳不聞"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "chōng'ěrbùwén",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "充耳不闻"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "note": "subject is the thing that is ignored or disregarded",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "kaikua kuuroille korville"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "faire la sourde oreille"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "facerse o xordo"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "(gegenüber etwas) sich taub stellen"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "a füle botját sem mozdítja"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "láta sem vind um eyru þjóta"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "láta eins og vind um eyru þjóta"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "daufheyrast við"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "skella skolleyrum við"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "fare orecchi da mercante"
    },
    {
      "alt": "きくみみをもたぬ",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "kiku mimi o motanu",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "聞く耳を持たぬ"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "tetērongo"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "whakatuturi"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "whātuturi"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "vende det døve øret til"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "puszczać mimo uszu"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "puścić mimo uszu"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "propuskátʹ mímo ušéj",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "пропуска́ть ми́мо уше́й"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "note": "пропусти́ть ми́мо уше́й (propustítʹ mímo ušéj, literally “to let go past one's ears”)",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "hacerse el sordo"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "hacer oídos sordos"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "to refuse to listen or hear something",
      "word": "slå dövörat till"
    }
  ],
  "word": "turn a deaf ear"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-30 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (210104c and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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