Hark

Pronunciation

• enPR: härk, IPA: /hɑː(ɹ)k/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)k

Alternative forms

• heark obsolete

Origin

From Middle English herken, herkien, from Old English *hercian, *heorcian, *hiercian, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hauzijaną ("to hear") + formative/intensive -k (see also the related hȳran, whence English hear). Cognate with Scots herk ("to hark"), North Frisian harke ("to hark"), West Frisian harkje ("to listen"), obsolete Dutch horken ("to hark, listen to"), Middle Low German horken ("to hark"), German horchen ("to hark, harken to").

Full definition of hark

Verb

1. To listen attentively; often used in the imperative.
• 1739, “Hymn for Christmas-Day”, Hymns and Sacred Poems, Charles Wesley and George Whitefield:Hark! The Herald Angels Sing“Glory to the new born King,
• 1906: O. Henry, The Four Million http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=/texts/english/modeng/publicsearch/modengpub.o2w&act=surround&offset=354518751&tag=Henry,+O.,+1862-1910:+The+four+million;,+1906&query=+harking&id=HenFourLoud voices and a renewed uproar were raised in front of the boarding-house..."'Tis Missis Murphy's voice," said Mrs. McCaskey, harking.
• 1959: Tom Lehrer, A Christmas Carol"Hark! The Herald Tribune sings,
  Advertising wondrous things!"

Derived terms

• hark back

Related terms

• harken/hearken
• hear