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listen - 5 dictionary results

lis⋅ten

  [lis-uhn]
Use listen in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing; give ear.
2. to pay attention; heed; obey (often fol. by to): Children don't always listen to their parents.
3. to wait attentively for a sound (usually fol. by for): to listen for sounds of their return.
4. Informal. to convey a particular impression to the hearer; sound: The new recording doesn't listen as well as the old one.
–verb (used with object)
5. Archaic. to give ear to; hear.
—Verb phrase
6. listen in,
a. to listen to a radio or television broadcast: Listen in tomorrow for the names of the lottery winners.
b. to overhear a conversation or communication, esp. by telephone; eavesdrop: Someone was listening in to his private calls.
Origin:
bef. 950; ME lis(t)nen, OE hlysnan; c. MHG lüsenen, Sw lyssna; akin to list 5

Related forms:
lis⋅ten⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. See hear.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To listen
lis·ten   (lĭs'ən)   
intr.v.   lis·tened, lis·ten·ing, lis·tens
  1. To make an effort to hear something: listen to the radio; listening for the bell.
  2. To pay attention; heed: "She encouraged me to listen carefully to what country people called mother wit" (Maya Angelou).
n.  An act of listening: Would you like to give the CD a listen before buying it?
Phrasal Verb(s):
listen in
  1. To listen to a conversation between others; eavesdrop.
  2. To tune in and listen to a broadcast.

[Middle English listenen, alteration (influenced by listen, to list, listen; see list4) of Old English hlysnan; see kleu- in Indo-European roots.]
lis'ten·er n.
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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Listen

Lis"ten\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Listened; p. pr. & vb. n. Listening.] [OE. listnen, listen, lustnen, lusten, AS. hlystan; akin to hlyst hearing, OS. hlust, Icel. hlusta to listen, hlust ear, AS. hlosnian to wait in suspense, OHG. hlos[=e]n to listen, Gr. ?, and E. loud. [root]41. See Loud, and cf. List to listen.]

1. To give close attention with the purpose of hearing; to give ear; to hearken; to attend.

When we have occasion to listen, and give a more particular attention to same sound, the tympanum is drawn to a more than ordinary tension. --Holder.

2. To give heed; to yield to advice; to follow admonition; to obey.

Listen to me, and by me be ruled. --Tennyson.

To listen after, to take an interest in. [Obs.]

Soldiers note forts, armories, and magazines; scholars listen after libraries, disputations, and professors. --Fuller.

Syn: To attend; hearken. See Attend.

Listen

Lis"ten\, v. t. To attend to. [Obs.] --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : listen
Spanish: escuchar,
German: zuhören,
Japanese: 聞く
More Translations »

listen 
O.E. hlysnan "to listen," from P.Gmc. *khlusinon (cf. O.H.G. hlosen "to listen," Ger. lauschen "to listen"), from PIE base *kleu- "hearing, to hear" (cf. Skt. srnoti "hears," srosati "hears, obeys;" Avestan sraothra "ear;" M.Pers. srod "hearing, sound;" Lith. klausau "to hear," slove "splendor, honor;" O.C.S. slusati "to hear," slava "fame, glory," slovo "word;" Gk. klyo "hear, be called," kleos "report, rumor, fame glory," kleio "make famous;" L. cluere "to hear oneself called, be spoken of;" O.Ir. ro-clui-nethar "hears," clunim "I hear," clu "fame, glory," cluada "ears;" Welsh clywaf "I hear;" O.E. hlud "loud," hleoðor "tone, tune;" O.H.G. hlut "sound;" Goth. hiluþ "listening, attention"). The -t- probably is by influence of O.E. hlystan (see list (v.2)). For vowel evolution, see bury.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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