Hacer oídos sordos
Example: Ella hace oídos sordos cuando le hablan de problemas.
Definition
"Hacer oídos sordos" is a Spanish idiomatic expression meaning to deliberately ignore or pretend not to hear something, especially when avoiding unpleasant information or problems. For example, someone who 'hacer oídos sordos' ignores issues to avoid dealing with them.
Etymology
The expression 'hacer oídos sordos' literally translates to 'make deaf ears.' It comes from the idea of intentionally making one's ears deaf to avoid listening to something undesirable. This figurative phrase has been part of the Spanish language for centuries, emphasizing deliberate ignorance.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Hacer oídos sordos" appears in the Vocaplus list "Spanish - General - Modismos y refranes - (C1) - parte 1", containing 120 commonly used expressions.
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to turn a deaf ear