lend an ear

English

Verb

lend an ear (third-person singular simple present lends an ear, present participle lending an ear, simple past and past participle lent an ear)

1. (idiomatic) To listen to someone.
   • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 121, column 2:

     Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears: / I come to bury Cæſar, not to praiſe him:

   • 1989, Kurt Cobain (lyrics and music), “About a Girl”, in Bleach, performed by Nirvana:

     I need an easy friend
     I do, with an ear to lend
     I do think you fit this shoe
     I do, but you have a clue

Related terms

• lend a hand