Definition of: "fall on deaf ears" with explanation and origin

Definition of: fall on deaf ears with explanation and origin? Meaning of fall on deaf ears with examples in English idiom dictionary.

English	English

Definition of: "fall on deaf ears" with explanation and origin

fall on deaf ears

fall on deaf ears

Meaning

• to disregard or ignore.
• said in regard to an assertion, claim, or argument that a person has made. 
• This indicates that what was said was (or will be) disregarded or not taken into account. 
• often takes the form of ‘words fell on deaf ears’, or ‘words would fall on deaf ears.’
• A similar idiom, “turn a deaf ear,” is used to describe the listener’s act of disregarding or dismissing a claim. 

Example Sentences

1. His protestations that the project would put the firm over budget fell on deaf ears.
2. I knew that my words would fall on deaf ears since no one wanted to acknowledge the problem. 
3. Although she gave an impassioned argument, her words fell on deaf ears.
4. Warnings that over-speeding always causes accidents and serious injuries have largely fallen on deaf ears.

Origin

Use of the phrase has been traced back to before the 16th century. In his poem, “Dingley and Brent,” the famous Anglo-Irish satirist, Johnathan Swift (1667–1745), used the related idiom, “turn a deaf ear.” The present idiom became a well-worn cliche by at least the 19th century. It often appears in commentary concerning political and economic policies. 

As an example, in his early-19th century examination of political economy, John Rae noted that arguments against the conservative character of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations would “fall on deaf ears” (Statement of Some New Principles on the Subject of Political Economy, Hillard, Gray and Company, 1834: p. vii). Similarly, an edition of the Literary Digest from the late 1800s noted that recommendations to suspend the issuing of government demand notes, which were made by U.S. President Grover Cleveland’s Secretary of the Treasury, John Carlisle, “will fall on deaf ears” (January 2, 1897: p. 260).

The Origins of fall on deaf ears

English

Related Dictionary

• English Definition & Meaning Dictionary
• English Idioms and phrases Dictionary
• Dictionnaire Français
• Dictionnaire d'expressions idiomatiques et de phrases en français

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English Idioms and phrases

An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below). By another definition, an idiom is a speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements.[3] For example, an English speaker would understand the phrase "kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. Furthermore, they would understand when each meaning is being used in context.

To evoke the desired effect in the listener, idioms require a precise replication of the phrase: not even articles can be used interchangeably (e.g. "kick a bucket" only retains the literal meaning of the phrase but not the idiomatic meaning).

Idioms should not be confused with other figures of speech such as metaphors, which evoke an image by use of implicit comparisons (e.g., "the man of steel"); similes, which evoke an image by use of explicit comparisons (e.g., "faster than a speeding bullet"); or hyperbole, which exaggerates an image beyond truthfulness (e.g., "more powerful than a locomotive"). Idioms are also not to be confused with proverbs, which are simple sayings that express a truth based on common sense or practical experience.