cloth-ears en · NOUN
Etymology
The origin of the term is in the wool and cotton mills of Northern England where the noise of the machinery and build-up of cotton dust made it difficult to hear people speaking. The earliest example in print is "I wish you'd listen. Have you got cloth ears?" from Carnival, a novel by Compton Mackenzie (1912).
Meanings
- (UK, dated, derogatory, informal) A person who cannot hear clearly or who fails to pay attention to what is said.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| cloth-ears | Number=Plur | lexicographic |