cloth-ears Meaning & Definition
What Does Cloth-Ears Mean?
Cloth-Ears is used as a noun meaning A person who cannot hear clearly or who fails to pay attention to what is said.
Cloth-Ears Definition (Noun)
- A person who cannot hear clearly or who fails to pay attention to what is said.
Synonyms of Cloth-Ears
The source does not list synonyms for this entry.
Cloth-ears synonyms and antonyms →Word Forms & Grammar
cloth-ears (plural cloth-ears)
Origin of Cloth-Ears
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).