have a word in someone's ear

verb

To speak to someone in private.

“When you get a moment I'd like to have a word in your ear.”

Similar
have a quiet wordhave a word in someone's shell-like
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbhave a word in someone's ear (third-person singular simple present has a word in someone's ear, present participle having a word in someone's ear, simple past and past participle had a word in someone's ear)

present singular third person has a word in someone's ear · participle present having a word in someone's ear · participle past had a word in someone's ear · past had a word in someone's ear

  1. idiomaticinformalTo speak to someone in private.

    When you get a moment I'd like to have a word in your ear.

    Synonyms: have a quiet word, have a word in someone's shell-like

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo speak to someone in private.

Similar
have a quiet wordhave a word in someone's shell-like
Also see
have a quiet word

Translations

Finnish puhua kahden kesken
  • puhua kahden keskento speak to in private
Cite this entry
APA

have a word in someone's ear. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20a%20word%20in%20someone's%20ear

MLA

“have a word in someone's ear.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20a%20word%20in%20someone's%20ear. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “have a word in someone's ear,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20a%20word%20in%20someone's%20ear.

Source: have a word in someone's ear on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.