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Hearken

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heark⋅en

[hahr-kuhn]
–verb (used without object)
1. Literary. to give heed or attention to what is said; listen.
–verb (used with object)
2. Archaic. to listen to; hear.
Also, harken.


Origin:
1150–1200; ME hercnen, OE he(o)rcnian, suffixed form of assumed *heorcian; see hark, -en 1


heark⋅en⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Hearken
hear·ken also har·ken   (här'kən)   
v.   hear·kened also har·kened, hear·ken·ing also har·ken·ing, hear·kens also har·kens

v.   intr.
To listen attentively; give heed.
v.   tr. Archaic
To listen to; hear.

[Middle English herknen, from Old English hercnian; see kous- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

hearken 
O.E. heorcnian, from base of hieran (see hear). Harken is the usual spelling in U.S. and probably is better justified by etymology.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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