When we think of the word “hear,” we often think of it in terms of sound. Hearing is one way that humans take in information from our environment and process it. However, there are many different definitions associated with this simple word.

At its most basic level, to hear means to perceive or become aware of a sound through the ear or some other auditory organ. This can include sounds such as music, speech, laughter, and more – anything that produces a noise detectable by human ears! In addition to physical hearing abilities like these, though, hearing also has a symbolic meaning: being attentive enough to understand what someone is saying or trying to communicate without actually having listened to them speak aloud (e.g., “I heard your thoughts”).

Hearing can also refer more broadly speaking to perceiving something beyond just sound; for example, when you say “I hear you” after someone speaks up during an argument might mean that they have been understood on some level regardless if their words were spoken out loud or not at all – thus conveying empathy and understanding between two parties involved in conversation without any verbal communication taking place whatsoever! Finally, another definition related but still distinct from those mentioned above would be listening activity, which involves both paying attention while simultaneously processing what was said to gain insight into whatever topic is being discussed – this could include asking questions back and forth between participants, too, if necessary!

In conclusion, then hearing is much more than simply perceiving sounds around us; it’s about actively engaging with others, whether verbally or nonverbally, by giving them our full attention while attempting to make sense of whatever they’re communicating, no matter how subtle their message may be at times.