Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to get hold of information, the implication being that it is illicitly overheard.

1913		Van Loan ‘The Bachelor Benedict’ in Lucky Seventh (2004) 229: The reporters are tryin’ to get an ear full of your talk.
1915		Day Book (Chicago) 20 Oct. 17/1: I never before herd tell of a gurl who wouldent grab off an earfuil of gab over the fone when she rings in on some body else’s talk [...] I heard her tell another stenog [...] she gives her an earful of what happned.
1921		P. & T. Casey Gay-cat 107: That one I jes’ catched inchin’ up here, tryin’ to git an ear-full ’bout Mis’ Heffernan.
1928		J.P. McEvoy Showgirl 162: Didn’t I try to find out! [...] When the girls got up to go out I excused myself and went out, too, to get an earful.
1936		(ref. to 1920s) L. Duncan Over the Wall 197: Say, gang, let’s scatter from this bunch of finks that’s trying to get an earful.
1938		J.E. O’Donnell ‘Overcoat Bennie’ in Mss. from the Federal Writers’ Project 🌐 Bennie transacted all his business on the streets, on a ferry-boat, in an automobile or in the middle of a lot. No detective ever got an earfull [sic] of Bennie’s conversations with his clients.
1983		C. Heath A-Team 2 (1984) 36: ‘Get an earful of this,’ he whispered to them.
1987		R. Campbell Alice in La-La Land (1999) 82: Did you get an earful of that?

2. to receive a scolding or criticism.

1911		T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 34: The phone bell rang and Cyril rushed over to get an earful.
1929		W.R. Burnett Little Caesar (1932) 96: I want the boys to get an earful.
1960		J.D. Macdonald Slam the Big Door (1961) 85: Those old poops [...] must’ve got a real earful.
1961		M. Braly Felony Tank (1962) 69: Do you think he was trying to get an earful?
1979		F. Norman Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper 195: Glenys insisted I go down there with her and get an earful.
2000		S. Maloney Big Ask 15: We’ve run over something [...] Donny’s getting an earful from some Italian bloke.
2011		G. Phillips ‘Slicers’ Serenade of Steel’ in Pulp Ink [ebook] Only the working girls and potential johns cruising by getting an eye and earful were out.

to pass on information; to assail verbally.

1911		T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 34: How about the kidnapping. Wise us up. Sure give us an earful.
1920		Sun & N.Y. Herald 19 Sept. 84/1: I’m giving Angelina an earful.
1929		W.R. Burnett Little Caesar (1932) 117: Come over here and sit down [...] I’ll give you an earful.
1933		C. Drew ‘Gorilla Grogan’ in Bulletin (Sydney) 26 July 40/2: [H]e gives me an earful of how he’s got a local heavyweight under his pinion who has bumped off a few third-raters and is looked upon as a comer.
1939		H. Miller Tropic of Capricorn (1964) 17: I saw the vice-president’s secretary [...] and gave him an earful.
1956		J. Curtis Look Long Upon a Monkey 95: When the berks’d come and had a go at the reforming lark, with all that madam about praying for the souls of his chinas before they was topped, given them an earful, hadn’t he?
1995		D. Lodge Therapy (1996) 14: I gave him an earful about the knee.
2004		Simon & Pelecanos ‘Slapstick’ Wire ser. 3 ep. 9 [TV script] Prop Joe gave me an earful, but what can I say? Good help is hard to find.
2005		B. Hare Urban Grimshaw 135: An old man who collared you in the lift and gave you an earful.

to make things clear.

1932

B. Fisher ‘Mutt and Jeff’ [comic strip] You gents said an earful.