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listening

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lis⋅ten

  [lis-uhn]
Use listening 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.
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Good Listener Quiz
Find Out If You're A Good Listener. Browse Our Fun, Free Quizzes Now.
LifeScript.com
Beyonce Knowles
Divalicious or Not? All about Beyonce Knowles
www.DivaVillage.com
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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Word Origin & History

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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