I'm all ears - tell us what they had to say.

[sitifan]

1. I'm all ears - tell us what they had to say. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/zht/詞典/英語-漢語-繁體/be-all-ears
2. I'm all ears - tell us what they said. (my sentence)

What's the difference in meaning between the above two sentences?

 

[GoesStation]

There's little difference. Sentence one prompts the listener to think of the intention as well as the words of the person who said something. Sentence two asks only for their words.

 

[jutfrank]

With 1, it is very likely that the addressee of the utterance had gone to speak to the person/people referred to as them with the express intention of getting some information that has some kind of bearing on some matter that is relevant to the addressee.