New Short Title: “Understanding the phrase ‘prick up your ears'” Brief Explanation: This phrase means to listen carefully or pay close attention to something. Example Sentence: She pricked up her ears when she overheard someone mention her name in the conversation.
The phrase “ear pricking” may seem confusing at first, but it actually refers to the act of listening carefully to a conversation. In this idiom, the swelling of the ear is seen as a way to enhance one’s ability to listen. It’s like turning up the volume on your ears to catch every word of a difficult conversation.
In daily life, there are many private discussions that we might overhear. However, listening in on these conversations without revealing ourselves is often seen as intrusive, described as “eavesdropping.” Like many idioms in our culture, the phrase “ear pricking” uses figurative language and analogy to convey its meaning. This analogy has become deeply rooted in our language, earning a place in the dictionary of idioms.
For those wondering how to use the phrase in a sentence, here are a few examples:
– The boy listened in on his friends talking secretly about him.
– Children playing on the street overheard the guard’s conversations.
– The aunt sitting in the tea garden eavesdropped on the bride teasing her mother-in-law.
– The woman pricked up her ears to hear what her neighbor was talking about.
– The man, listening intently, suddenly felt ill.
– The student pricked up his ears to catch the teacher’s whispers about the exam.
– The apartment building doorman, concerned about the children whispering in the garden, eavesdropped on their conversation.
– The boy overheard the thieves’ conversation and reported it to the guard.
So next time you hear the phrase “ear pricking,” you’ll understand that it’s not about the physical act of making your ears bigger, but about tuning in to a conversation with full attention.
