rubber ear n. an attitude or instance of rejection, refusal, or unresponsiveness; the cold shoulder. Also v., to reject, refuse, or ignore. Editorial Note: Sometimes constructed similar to give (someone) the rubber ear or get the rubber ear. Although the first cite is from an American author, the term is far more common among Scots. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished...
A hundred years ago, suffragists lobbied to win women the right to vote. Linguistically speaking, though, suffrage isn’t about “suffering.” It’s from a Latin word that involves voting. Plus: military cadences often include...