Listen Definition
listen
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English
WOTD - 24 December 2008 Wikipedia has articles on: ListenEtymology
From Middle English listnen, from Old English hlysnan, from Proto-Germanic *hlusinon (compare Low German lüstern, Dutch luisteren and German lauschen), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”). Akin to Old Irish rochluiniur 'I hear', Latin clueō (“I am famous”), Ancient Greek κλαίω (klaiō, “I make known, famous”), κλέος (kleos, “report, rumor, repute”), Old Armenian լամ (lam, “I cry, weep”), Albanian qaj, qanj (“to cry, weep”), Old Church Slavonic слути (sluti, “to speak clearly”), слѹшати (slušati, “to hear”), Lithuanian klausau 'to hear', Middle Persian (srod, “hearing, sound”), Sanskrit श्रु (śru, “to hear”). More at loud.
Pronunciation
- enPR: lĭs'ən, lĭs'n, IPA: /ˈlɪsən/, /ˈlɪsn̩/, X-SAMPA: /"lIs@n/, /"lIsn=/
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Audio (US) (file) -
Audio (UK) (file) - Rhymes: -ɪsən
- Hyphenation: lis‧ten
Verb
listen (third-person singular simple present listens, present participle listening, simple past and past participle listened)
- (intransitive) To pay attention to a sound, to note.
- Please listen carefully as I explain.
- I like to listen to music.
- (intransitive) To wait for a sound, such as a signal.
- You should listen for the starting gun.
- (intransitive) To accept or obey oral instruction.
- Good children listen to their parents.
- (transitive, archaic) To hear (something or someone), to pay attention to.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XX:
- ‘But, sir, lyars ye have lystened, and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.’
- 1592, Shakespeare, 1 Hen VI: v 3
- Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XX:
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.
Quotations
- For usage examples of this term, see the citations page.
Synonyms
- (to pay attention): attend, give ear, hark, hear, heed, list, mind, note, pay attention
- (to wait for a sound): await, anticipate, expect, wait for
- (to accept oral instruction): mind, obey
- (to hear): hear, mind, heed
- See also Wikisaurus:listen
Antonyms
Coordinate terms
Derived terms
Related terms
See also
Anagrams
Danish
Noun
listen
Dutch
Noun
listen
Anagrams
Spanish
Verb
listen (infinitive listar)
- Second-person plural (ustedes) imperative form of listar.
- Second-person plural (ustedes) present subjunctive form of listar.
- Third-person plural (ellos, ellas, also used with ustedes?) present subjunctive form of listar.
Swedish
Noun
listen
- definite singular of list
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