eardrum

Everyday

A thin, tight piece of skin inside the ear that shakes (vibrates) when sound reaches it, so that we can hear. tree →

In the lessons

In science, sound is vibrations travelling through the air; they make the eardrum vibrate, tiny bones pass the vibrations on, and the inner ear sends signals to the brain. In safety, very loud noise can damage hearing, and you should never push cotton buds or objects into the ear. Phrases: «burst eardrum», «damage your eardrum».

Examples

• Sound makes your eardrum vibrate. tree →
• The eardrum is like the skin on a drum. tree →
• Never poke anything into your ear — you could hurt your eardrum. tree →
• Very loud music can damage your hearing. tree →
• Her eardrum burst when she had a bad ear infection. tree →
• When a plane lands, the eardrums can feel pressure; swallowing helps. tree →
• The eardrum passes vibrations to three tiny bones. tree →
• Wear ear defenders near very loud machines. tree →
• But at this the Carl burst into a roar of laughter, so that the eardrums of the warriors present almost burst inside of their heads. tree →

Note

Countable: an eardrum (with «an», because «ear» starts with a vowel sound). One word. A burst eardrum often heals by itself, but needs a doctor. The tiny bones behind it are the smallest bones in the body.