Meanings
verblisten with half an ear (third-person singular simple present listens with half an ear, present participle listening with half an ear, simple past and past participle listened with half an ear)
present singular third person listens with half an ear · participle present listening with half an ear · participle past listened with half an ear · past listened with half an ear
- figurativelyTo listen distractedly, without paying attention.
Translations
Finnish kuunnella puolella korvalla, kuunnella toisella korvalla
- kuunnella puolella korvallaTranslations
- kuunnella toisella korvallaTranslations
French n'écouter que d'une oreille
- n'écouter que d'une oreilleTranslations
Hungarian fél füllel hallgat
- fél füllel hallgatTranslations
Polish słuchać jednym uchem
- słuchać jednym uchemTranslations
Russian слу́шать вполу́ха
- слу́шать вполу́ха (slúšatʹ vpolúxa)Translations
Cite this entry
APA
listen with half an ear. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/listen%20with%20half%20an%20ear
MLA
“listen with half an ear.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/listen%20with%20half%20an%20ear. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “listen with half an ear,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/listen%20with%20half%20an%20ear.
Source: listen with half an ear on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.