hear the grass grow en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) To 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.
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(idiomatic) To 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:
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(idiomatic) To 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:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hearing the grass grow | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| hears the grass grow | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| heard the grass grow | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| heard the grass grow | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Translations (2)
de das Gras wachsen hören (which sense?) · pl słyszeć jak trawa rośnie (which sense?)