(~s, ~ing, ~d)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
When you ~ a sound, you become aware of it through your ears.
She ~d no further sounds...
They ~d the protesters shout: ‘No more fascism!’...
And then we ~d the bells ringing out...
I’m not ~ing properly.
VERB: V n, V n inf, V n -ing, V
2.
If you ~ something such as a lecture or a piece of music, you listen to it.
You can ~ commentary on the match in about half an hour’s time...
I don’t think you’ve ever ~d Doris talking about her emotional life before...
I’d love to ~ it played by a professional orchestra.
VERB: V n, V n -ing, V n -ed
3.
If you say that you can ~ someone saying something, you mean that you are able to imagine ~ing it.
Can’t you just ~ John Motson now?...
‘I was hot,’ I could still ~ Charlotte say with her delicious French accent.
VERB: no cont, V n, V n inf
4.
When a judge or a court of law ~s a case, or evidence in a case, they listen to it officially in order to make a decision about it. (FORMAL)
The jury have ~d evidence from defence witnesses...
VERB: V n
5.
If you ~ from someone, you receive a letter or telephone call from them.
Drop us a line, it’s always great to ~ from you...
VERB: V from n
6.
In a debate or discussion, if you ~ from someone, you listen to them giving their opinion or information.
What are you ~ing from people there?
VERB: V from n
7.
If you ~ some news or information about something, you find out about it by someone telling you, or from the radio or television.
My mother ~d of this school through Leslie...
He had ~d that the trophy had been sold...
I had waited to ~ the result...
VERB: V of/about n, V that, V n
8.
If you have ~d of something or someone, you know about them, but not in great detail.
Many people haven’t ~d of reflexology.
...people who, maybe, had hardly ~d the word till a year or two ago.
VERB: no cont, V of n, V n
9.
If you say that you have ~d something before, you mean that you are not interested in it, or do not believe it, or are not surprised about it, because you already know about it or have experienced it.
Furness shrugs wearily. He has ~d it all before...
PHRASE: V inflects
10.
During political debates and public meetings, people sometimes say ‘Hear ~!’ to express their agreement with what the speaker is saying. (BRIT FORMAL)
CONVENTION formulae
11.
If you say that you can’t ~ yourself think, you are complaining and emphasizing that there is a lot of noise, and that it is disturbing you or preventing you from doing something. (INFORMAL)
For God’s sake shut up. I can’t ~ myself think!...
PHRASE: usu with brd-neg emphasis
12.
If you say that you won’t ~ of someone doing something, you mean that you refuse to let them do it.
I’ve always wanted to be an actor but Dad wouldn’t ~ of it...
PHRASE: PHR n