v.
tr. To pay attention to; listen to and consider: "He did not heed my gibes, and chattered on"(Sean O'Faolain). v.
intr. To pay attention. n. Close attention; notice.
O.E. hedan "to take care, attend," from W.Gmc. *hodjan (cf. OS. hodian, O.Fris. hoda, Ger. hüten "to guard, watch"). Survives only in lit. use and as the object of verbs (take heed, etc.). Probably related to O.E. hod "hood" through a sense of "guard." Heedless "without regard" is from 1579.