cloth-eared

English

WOTD – 2 November 2020

Etymology

From the fact that ears made of cloth (for example, belonging to a stuffed toy) cannot hear.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌklɒθˈɪəd/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌklɔθˈɪ(ə)ɹd/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)d

Adjective

cloth-eared (comparative more cloth-eared, superlative most cloth-eared) (British, dated, derogatory, informal)

1. Not hearing clearly.

   Synonyms: deaf, hard of hearing

2. Failing to pay attention.

   Synonym: inattentive

   Antonym: attentive

Related terms

• cloth-ears
• cock a deaf 'un

Translations

not hearing clearly — see deaf

failing to pay attention — see inattentive

See also

• tin ear

References

• “cloth-eared”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “cloth-eared”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “cloth-eared, adj.” under “cloth, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1891.
• “cloth-eared, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

• cladothere