Listen
Pronunciation
- enPR: lÄs'É™n, IPA: /ˈlɪs.É™n/, /ˈlɪs.nÌ©/
- Rhymes: -ɪsən
- Hyphenation: lis + ten
Origin
From Middle English listnen, alteration (interpreted as frequentative of listen) from Old English hlysnan, from Proto-Germanic *hlÅ«sinÅnÄ… (compare Middle High German lüsenen), from *hlusÄ“nÄ… (compare Old High German hlosÄ“n), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- ("to hear") (compare Ancient Greek κλαίω (klaiÅ, "I make known, famous"), Latin clueÅ ("I am famous"), Lithuanian klausýti, Old Church Slavonic Ñлѹшати (sluÅ¡ati, "to hear"), Sanskrit शà¥à¤°à¥‹à¤·à¤¤à¤¿. Related to loud.
Full definition of listen
Verb
- (intransitive) To pay attention to a sound or speech.Please listen carefully as I explain.I like to listen to music.
- 1922, Ben Travers, A Cuckoo in the Nest Chapter 1, 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.
- (intransitive) To expect or wait for a sound, such as a signal.You should listen for the starting gun.
- Grey Riders|4He reined Wrangle to a walk, halted now and then to listen, and then proceeded cautiously with shifting and alert gaze.
- (intransitive) To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent.Good children listen to their parents.Listen, the only reason I yelled at you was because I was upset, OK?
- Orwell Animal Farm|1Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest ...
- (transitive, archaic) To hear (something or someone), to pay attention to.
- 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.’
- 1592, William Shakespeare, : v 3Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.
Usage notes
In English, listen and hear are two primary verbs relating to audial perception. To hear represents automatic or passive perception of sound, while listen generally represents intentional or purposeful use of the sense of hearing. A similar distinction exists between see and watch in English.