deaf /def/ ●●○ W3 adjectiveadj 1 HEAR#physically unable to hear anything or unable to hear well 耳聋的,失聪的 → hearing impaired communication between deaf and hearing people 失聪者和听力正常者之间的交流
I think Mum’s going a bit deaf. 我觉得妈妈有点耳聋了。
She’s deaf and dumb (=unable to hear or speak) and communicates using sign language. 她又聋又哑,用手语交流。
Tom was born profoundly deaf (=having great difficulty hearing). 汤姆天生几乎全聋。
stone deaf/deaf as a post informal (=completely deaf) 完全耳聋的
→ hard of hearing, tone-deaf 2 the deaf [plural]HEAR# people who are deaf 耳聋的人 a school for the deaf 聋人学校
the deaf• a school for the deaf 3 be deaf to something literaryLISTEN# to be unwilling to hear or listen to something 不愿听某事,不肯听取某事 She was deaf to his pleas. 她对他的恳求充耳不闻。
be deaf to something• There may be a prophet hidden inside each of us, but we tend to be deaf to such warnings.• And with a faintly questioning intonation that fitzAlan would have to be deaf to miss.• The Daemonette is deaf to reason, and longs only to kill.• But what if she were deaf to reason?• Was it that alienated man was deaf to the language of the hills and valleys, the forests and the shore?• But they are deaf to the rest. 4 turn a deaf ear (to something) IGNOREto be unwilling to listen to what someone is saying or asking (对某事)充耳不闻[置若罔闻] The factory owners turned a deaf ear to the demands of the workers. 工厂主对工人们提出的要求置若罔闻。
turn a deaf ear (to something)• They may display their feelings by refusing to eat, and turning a deaf ear to anyone who calls their name.• She wouldn't be keeping the Law if she turned a deaf ear to the call or ran away from it.• The race committee turned a deaf ear to the objections of Amelia and the other fliers.• Thus, year after year, working people turn a deaf ear to union entreaties. —deafness noun [uncountableU]
n COLLOCATIONSverbsgo deaf (=become deaf)By the time he was 50 he had begun to go deaf.
be born deafIf the mother gets the disease, her baby may be born deaf.
leave somebody deaf (=cause someone to become deaf)A blow on the head left him permanently deaf.
adverbstotally deaf (=completely deaf)He was totally deaf, and unable to walk.
partially deaf (=partly deaf)Most children who are partially deaf can be taught in normal schools.
stone deaf informal (=completely deaf)She must be stone deaf if she didn’t hear all that noise!
profoundly deaf technical (=completely deaf)Many profoundly deaf children have great difficulty in learning to read.
phrasesas deaf as a post informal (=completely deaf)He won’t hear you - he’s as deaf as a post.
deaf in one earThe illness left her deaf in one ear.
n THESAURUSdeaf adjectiveadj physically unable to hear anything, or unable to hear wellDeaf people use sign language to communicate.
be hard of hearing to have difficulty hearing things, for example because you are oldYou’ll have to speak up – she’s a bit hard of hearing.
subtitles for the hard of hearing