deaf

deaf W3 /def/ BrE AmE adjective
[Language: Old English]
1. physically unable to hear anything or unable to hear well ⇨ hearing impaired:
communication between deaf and hearing people
I think Mum’s going a bit deaf.
She’s deaf and dumb (=unable to hear or speak) and communicates using sign language.
Tom was born profoundly deaf (=having great difficulty hearing).
stone deaf/deaf as a post informal (=completely deaf) ⇨ ↑hard of hearing, ↑tone-deaf
2. the deaf [plural] people who are deaf:
a school for the deaf
3. be deaf to something literary to be unwilling to hear or listen to something:
She was deaf to his pleas.
4. turn a deaf ear (to something) to be unwilling to listen to what someone is saying or asking:
The factory owners turned a deaf ear to the demands of the workers.
5. fall on deaf ears if advice or a warning falls on deaf ears, everyone ignores it
—deafness noun [uncountable]

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

deaf

deaf [deaf deafer deafest] [def] [def] adjective (deaf·er, deaf·est)
1. unable to hear anything or unable to hear very well
• to become/go deaf
• She was born deaf.
• partially deaf

see also stone deaf, tone-deaf

2. the deaf noun plural people who cannot hear

• television subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

3. not before noun ~ to sth not willing to listen or pay attention to sth
• He was deaf to my requests for help.
Idioms: deaf as a post ▪ fall on deaf ears ▪ turn a deaf ear
Derived Word: deafness
Word Origin:
Old English dēaf, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch doof and German taub, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek tuphlos ‘blind’.
Example Bank:
• It's no good shouting— he's stone deaf.
• Many of these children are profoundly deaf.
• She remained deaf until she died.
• She spoke loudly because her mother was a little deaf.
• Standing next to the machine all day left her deaf in one ear.
• The committee remained deaf to our suggestions.
• Their child was born deaf.

• helping chronically deaf patients

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

deaf / def / noun [ plural ]

the deaf people who are unable to hear:

Many of the TV programmes are broadcast with subtitles for the deaf.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

deaf

[de̱f]
deafer, deafest
1) ADJ-GRADED Someone who is deaf is unable to hear anything or is unable to hear very well.
  She is now profoundly deaf.
  Derived words:
  deafness N-UNCOUNT Because of her deafness she was hard to make conversation with.
N-PLURAL: the N
The deaf are people who are deaf. Many regular TV programs are captioned for the deaf.
2) ADJ: v-link ADJ to n (disapproval) If you say that someone is deaf to people's requests, arguments, or criticisms, you are criticizing them because they refuse to pay attention to them.
  The provincial assembly were deaf to all pleas for financial help.
  Syn:
  impervious
3) to fall on deaf ears → see ear
to turn a deaf ear → see ear

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

deaf

deaf /ˈdɛf/ adj [more ~; most ~]
1 : not able to hear
• He has been deaf since birth.
• a deaf child
• She's completely/partially deaf in her right ear.
• a disease that caused her to go deaf [=become unable to hear]
• He's going a little deaf so you'll have to speak up.
• (informal) My grandmother's a sweet old lady, but she's as deaf as a post. [=she's very deaf]
- see also tone-deaf
2 : not willing to listen to or consider something - usually + to
• They were deaf to all of our suggestions.
• deaf to reason
fall on deaf ears
- see ¹ear
the deaf : deaf people : people who are not able to hear
• She goes to a school for the deaf.
turn a deaf ear
- see ¹ear
- deaf·ness noun [noncount]
• The disease can cause blindness and deafness.