Listen out by employing devices initially - like ears? (5)
I believe the answer is:
lobed
'like ears?' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'listen out by employing devices initially' is the wordplay.
'initially' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'listen out by employing devices' is 'LOBED'.
(Other definitions for lobed that I've seen before include "with projections" , "Having rounded divisions" , "divided leaves" .)