Note: In man and the higher vertebrates, the organ of hearing
is very complicated, and is divisible into three parts:
the external ear, which includes the pinna or auricle
and meatus or external opening; the middle ear, drum,
or tympanum; and the internal ear, or labyrinth. The
middle ear is a cavity connected by the Eustachian tube
with the pharynx, separated from the opening of the
external ear by the tympanic membrane, and containing a
chain of three small bones, or ossicles, named malleus,
incus, and stapes, which connect this membrane with the
internal ear. The essential part of the internal ear
where the fibers of the auditory nerve terminate, is
the membranous labyrinth, a complicated system of sacs
and tubes filled with a fluid (the endolymph), and
lodged in a cavity, called the bony labyrinth, in the
periotic bone. The membranous labyrinth does not
completely fill the bony labyrinth, but is partially
suspended in it in a fluid (the perilymph). The bony
labyrinth consists of a central cavity, the vestibule,
into which three semicircular canals and the canal of
the cochlea (spirally coiled in mammals) open. The
vestibular portion of the membranous labyrinth consists
of two sacs, the utriculus and sacculus, connected by a
narrow tube, into the former of which three membranous
semicircular canals open, while the latter is connected
with a membranous tube in the cochlea containing the
organ of Corti. By the help of the external ear the
sonorous vibrations of the air are concentrated upon
the tympanic membrane and set it vibrating, the chain
of bones in the middle ear transmits these vibrations
to the internal ear, where they cause certain delicate
structures in the organ of Corti, and other parts of
the membranous labyrinth, to stimulate the fibers of
the auditory nerve to transmit sonorous impulses to the
brain.
2. The sense of hearing; the perception of sounds; the power
of discriminating between different tones; as, a nice ear
for music; -- in the singular only.
Songs . . . not all ungrateful to thine ear.
--Tennyson.
3. That which resembles in shape or position the ear of an
animal; any prominence or projection on an object, --
usually one for support or attachment; a lug; a handle;
as, the ears of a tub, a skillet, or dish. The ears of a
boat are outside kneepieces near the bow. See Illust. of
{Bell}.
4. (Arch.)
(a) Same as {Acroterium}.
(b) Same as {Crossette}.
5. Privilege of being kindly heard; favor; attention.
Dionysius . . . would give no ear to his suit.
--Bacon.
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.
--Shak.
{About the ears}, in close proximity to; near at hand.
{By the ears}, in close contest; as, to set by the ears; to
fall together by the ears; to be by the ears.
{Button ear} (in dogs), an ear which falls forward and
completely hides the inside.
{Ear finger}, the little finger.
{Ear of Dionysius}, a kind of ear trumpet with a flexible
tube; -- named from the Sicilian tyrant, who constructed a
device to overhear the prisoners in his dungeons.
{Ear sand} (Anat.), otoliths. See {Otolith}.
{Ear snail} (Zo["o]l.), any snail of the genus {Auricula} and
allied genera.
{Ear stones} (Anat.), otoliths. See {Otolith}.
{Ear trumpet}, an instrument to aid in hearing. It consists
of a tube broad at the outer end, and narrowing to a
slender extremity which enters the ear, thus collecting
and intensifying sounds so as to assist the hearing of a
partially deaf person.
{Ear vesicle} (Zo["o]l.), a simple auditory organ, occurring
in many worms, mollusks, etc. It consists of a small sac
containing a fluid and one or more solid concretions or
otocysts.
{Rose ear} (in dogs), an ear which folds backward and shows
part of the inside.
{To give ear to}, to listen to; to heed, as advice or one
advising. ``Give ear unto my song.'' --Goldsmith.
{To have one's ear}, to be listened to with favor.
{Up to the ears}, deeply submerged; almost overwhelmed; as,
to be in trouble up to one's ears. [Colloq.]
First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn
in the ear. --Mark iv. 28.
Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon
'gainst self-slaughter. --Shak.
2. (Eccl.) A law, or rule of doctrine or discipline, enacted
by a council and confirmed by the pope or the sovereign; a
decision, regulation, code, or constitution made by
ecclesiastical authority.
Various canons which were made in councils held in
the second centry. --Hock.
3. The collection of books received as genuine Holy
Scriptures, called the {sacred canon}, or general rule of
moral and religious duty, given by inspiration; the Bible;
also, any one of the canonical Scriptures. See {Canonical
books}, under {Canonical}, a.
4. In monasteries, a book containing the rules of a religious
order.
5. A catalogue of saints acknowledged and canonized in the
Roman Catholic Church.
6. A member of a cathedral chapter; a person who possesses a
prebend in a cathedral or collegiate church.
7. (Mus.) A musical composition in which the voices begin one
after another, at regular intervals, successively taking
up the same subject. It either winds up with a coda
(tailpiece), or, as each voice finishes, commences anew,
thus forming a perpetual fugue or round. It is the
strictest form of imitation. See {Imitation}.
8. (Print.) The largest size of type having a specific name;
-- so called from having been used for printing the canons
of the church.
9. The part of a bell by which it is suspended; -- called
also {ear} and {shank}.
Note: [See Illust. of {Bell}.] --Knight.
{Apostolical canons}. See under {Apostolical}.
{Augustinian canons}, {Black canons}. See under
{Augustinian}.
{Canon capitular}, {Canon residentiary}, a resident member of
a cathedral chapter (during a part or the whole of the
year).
{Canon of the Mass} (R. C. Ch.), that part of the mass,
following the Sanctus, which never changes.
{Honorary canon}, a canon who neither lived in a monastery,
nor kept the canonical hours.
{Minor canon} (Ch. of Eng.), one who has been admitted to a
chapter, but has not yet received a prebend.
{Regular canon} (R. C. Ch.), one who lived in a conventual
community and follower the rule of St. Austin; a Black
canon.
{Secular canon} (R. C. Ch.), one who did not live in a
monastery, but kept the hours.