Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - hearing

 noun  Date: 13th century  1.  a. the process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli  b. earshot  2.  a. opportunity to be heard, to present one's side of a case, or to be generally known or appreciated  b.  (1) a listening to arguments  (2) a preliminary examination in criminal procedure  c. a session (as of a legislative committee) in which testimony is taken from witnesses  3. chiefly dialect a piece of news