Meanings
present singular third person hears the grass grow · participle present hearing the grass grow · participle past heard the grass grow · past heard the grass grow
- idiomaticTo have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.
1855, Thomas Bulfinch, Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable, ch. 31 "Northern Mythology", Heimdall is the watchman of the gods. . . . So acute is his ear that no sound escapes him, for he can even hear the grass grow and the wool on a sheep's back.
- idiomaticTo hear very well due to being in an exceptionally quiet environment.
A suburban arena that was so sepulchral you could hear the grass grow.
2005 August 28, Tony Francis, “St Neots dreams dashed along the road to Cup final”, in telegraph.co.uk, retrieved 01 Aug 2008 - idiomaticTo be very aware or discerning; to pay attention to every small detail.
He was quick to appreciate Blankenhorn's engaging personality and intelligent use of his skills. Chief among these was a remarkable ability to keep track of developments—to ‘hear the grass grow’.
1995, Hans-Peter Schwarz, Konrad Adenauer: a German politician and statesman, Berghahn Books, →ISBN, page 397
Translations
German das Gras wachsen hören
- das Gras wachsen hörenwhich sense?
Polish słyszeć jak trawa rośnie
- słyszeć jak trawa rośniewhich sense?
Cite this entry
hear the grass grow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hear%20the%20grass%20grow
“hear the grass grow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hear%20the%20grass%20grow. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hear the grass grow,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hear%20the%20grass%20grow.
Source: hear the grass grow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.