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Glite Dictionary
earshot

earshot

18 3.9
The area where you can hear a sound
  • noun
  • /ˈɪrˌʃɑt/
: alcance del oído
  • She whispered the secret, careful not to let anyone within earshot overhear.

But still, Trump made it clear that he is open to suggestions from anyone within earshot.

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Examples

  • important enough so that anyone within earshot should listen to each and every detail?

    National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 (1993)

  • "What's with him?" I said when we were finally out of earshot of our fans.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • I was in earshot, you know, and I was, I was lucky.

  • Is your wife within earshot?

    Breach (2007)

  • Perhaps he should slow down until they come within earshot, then break them on the hills.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • After the men are out of earshot, we see Peter pull this guy aside.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Though his kids are always in earshot, he plans activities in advance to occupy them.

    Academic text (2009)

  • Going out to eat will let her discuss this matter out of earshot of their teenage children.

    Academic text (2011)

  • I have cleared a safe practice space in a storage area within earshot of the room I use for lessons.

    Academic text (2005)

  • You never know who's within earshot.

    Come Play with Me (1977)

Synonyms

earreach
vsearshot
  • Archaic
1 9.9

The distance at which you can hear someone's voice

is the same concept but uses the other spelling

Surface Forms

earshot singular
earshots plural

Morphology

earshot = ear + shot (semi-transparent) = ear + shot

The compound components 'ear' and 'shot' are literal, but the sense 'shot' = 'range' is less common and may be unfamiliar to learners.

Etymology

Earshot is a simple picture word made from ear and shot, where shot once meant 'a loud sound' like a gunshot, so you can imagine how far a shot can be heard. So, earshot means the distance within which a sound or voice can be heard.