listen
Etymology
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Etymology
From Middle English listenen, listnen, alteration (due to Middle English listen) of Old English hlysnan, from Proto-Germanic *hlusnijaną, *hlusnōną (compare Middle High German lüsenen), from Proto-Germanic *hlusēną (compare Old High German hlosēn), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (compare Ancient Greek κλαίω, Welsh clywed, Latin clueō, Lithuanian klausýti, Church Slavic слушати, Sanskrit श्रोषति.
Pronunciation- enPR: lĭs'ən, lĭs'n, IPA: /ˈlɪs.ən/, [ˈlɪs.n̩]
listen (listens, present participle listening; simple past and past participle listened)
- (intransitive except in archaic usage) To use one's sense of hearing in an intentional way; to make deliberate use of one's ears; to pay attention to or wait for a specific sound.
- Synonyms: heed, mind, note, pay attention, attend
- Antonyms: ignore
- Please listen carefully as I explain.
- 1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, chapter I, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., →OCLC ↗, page 01 ↗:
- It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. […]. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.
- 1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter 4, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y., London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC ↗:
- He reined Wrangle to a walk, halted now and then to listen, and then proceeded cautiously with shifting and alert gaze.
- 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC ↗:
- He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.
- (transitive, archaic)
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XX:
- 'But, sir, lyars ye have lystened, and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.'
- 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene iii]:
- Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.
- a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Summer”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC ↗:
- Here laid his Scrip, with wholesome Viands fill'd, / There, listening every Noise, his watchful Dog.
- >[with to]
- I like to listen to music.
- >[with for]
- You should listen for the starting gun.
- (intransitive) To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent.
- Synonyms: mind
- Antonyms: disregard
- Listen, the only reason I yelled at you was because I was upset, OK?
- Good children listen to their parents.
- 1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC ↗:
- Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest […].
- See also Thesaurus:listen
- French: écouter
- German: hören, zuhören
- Italian: ascoltare
- Portuguese: escutar
- Russian: слу́шать
- Spanish: escuchar
- French: tendre l'oreille, guetter
- German: lauschen
- Italian: stare in ascolto per, sentire
- Portuguese: escutar
- Russian: слу́шать
- Spanish: escuchar
- French: écouter
- German: hören
- Italian: dare ascolto, dar retta
- Portuguese: ouvir
- Russian: слу́шать
- Spanish: escuchar
listen (plural listens)
- An instance of listening.
- Synonyms: play
- Give the motor a listen and tell me if it sounds off.
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.001
