prick up one's ears

prick up one's ears
   If you prick up your ears, you suddenly pay attention to what is being said.
   

The children pricked up their ears when they heard the word 'ice-cream'.


English Idioms & idiomatic expressions. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • prick up one's ears — {v. phr.}, {informal} To come to interested attention; begin to listen closely; try to hear. * /The woman pricked up her ears when she heard them talking about her./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • prick up one's ears — {v. phr.}, {informal} To come to interested attention; begin to listen closely; try to hear. * /The woman pricked up her ears when she heard them talking about her./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • prick up one's ears — LISTEN CAREFULLY, pay attention, become attentive, begin to take notice, attend; informal be all ears; poetic/literary hark. → prick * * * phrasal : to begin to listen intently or with increased interest * * * prick up one s ears To begin to… …   Useful english dictionary

  • prick up one's ears — idi prick up one s ears, to become very alert; listen attentively …   From formal English to slang

  • prick up one's ears — we pricked up our ears when he mentioned the Christmas bonuses Syn: listen carefully, pay attention, become attentive, begin to take notice, attend; informal be all ears …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • prick\ up\ one's\ ears — v. phr. informal To come to interested attention; begin to listen closely; try to hear. The woman pricked up her ears when she heard them talking about her …   Словарь американских идиом

  • prick up one's ears — phrasal to listen intently …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • prick up one's ears — verb To listen attentively …   Wiktionary

  • prick up one's ears — (Roget s IV) v. Syn. pay attention (to), notice, listen to; see listen 1 …   English dictionary for students

  • prick — [prik] n. [ME prike < OE prica, point, dot, akin to Du prik, MHG pfrecken] 1. a very small puncture or, formerly, dot, made by a sharp point 2. Archaic any of various pointed objects, as a thorn, goad, etc. 3. PRICKING 4. a sharp pain caused… …   English World dictionary

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