hearken

Or hark·en

[hahr-kuhn]

verb (used without object)

1. Literary.,  to give heed or attention to what is said; listen.

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic.,  to listen to; hear.

hearken

/ ˈhɑːkən /

verb

1. archaic,  to listen to (something)

Other Word Forms

• hearkener noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hearken¹

1150–1200; Middle English hercnen, Old English he ( o ) rcnian, suffixed form of assumed *heorcian; hark, -en ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of hearken¹

Old English heorcnian; see _hark

Example Sentences

As directed by James Griffiths, Mr. Basden and Mr. Key’s screenplay hearkened back to “Local Hero” with its warm glow of appreciation for U.K. oddballs.

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A line of dialogue hearkens back to the beginning in a way that might be thought of as closure, as a circle closes without going anywhere, and yet things are not the same.

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And it’s on Max, but it sort of hearkens back to, like, the old-school broadcast kind of drama.

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The title may hearken back to decades long gone, but there’s something contemporary about “Mid-Century Modern.”

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Carney revealed it on Friday during his first speech as prime minister when he hearkened back - with a shiny polish - to the origins of this former colony.

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