listen (to someone or something) with half an ear
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listen (to someone or something) with half an ear
To listen to someone or something intermittently or with only partial attention. Unfortunately, I don't remember what Mom said because I was only listening with half an ear while the game was on TV. Who won? I was only listening to the radio with half an ear when they made the announcement.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
listen with half an ear
If you listen to someone or something with half an ear, you listen but do not give them your full attention. She listened to the news with half an ear as she cleaned the bathroom. Gigi listened with half an ear to Yussef and Bassil, who were talking about their school days.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
listen with half an ear
not give your full attention to someone or something.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
listen with half an ˈear
not listen with your full attention: I was watching television and listening with half an ear to what he was telling me. OPPOSITE: be all earsFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
- listen with half an ear
- have half an ear on (someone or something)
- have half an eye on (someone or something)
- have one eye on (someone or something)
- have one eye/half an eye on something
- keep half an eye on (someone or something)
- expose (someone, something, or oneself) to (someone or something)
- expose to
- be (someone's) funeral
- it's someone's funeral