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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

take the wax out of one's ears en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (derogatory, idiomatic, imperative, often, slang) To listen more carefully or pay closer attention.
    • Again, you see, they had not listened to me (how I wanted to take the wax out of their ears!), they did not wish to be turned from their pre-conceived notions. 1943, Dorothy Fremont Grant, What Other Answer, page 247:
    • I shall give it to them, and I ask the member for Horowhenua to take the wax out of her ears and sit and listen. 1988, New Zealand, Parliament, House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), Volume 491, page 5824:
    • It was that party that got us into the mess that we are in today. Maybe my friend should take the wax out of his ears and start listening to what Canada is all about. 2006, Canada, Parliament, House of Commons, House of Commons Debates, Official Report, Volume 141, Issues 87-97, page 5390:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
taken the wax out of one's ears Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
takes the wax out of one's ears Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
took the wax out of one's ears Tense=Past lexicographic
taking the wax out of one's ears Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic