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hearken

or hark·en

[ hahr-kuhn ]
/ ˈhɑr kən /
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See synonyms for: hearken / hearkening on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

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

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to listen to; hear.

QUIZZES

DO A DOUBLE TAKE ON THIS QUIZ ON CONTRONYMS

Look both ways before you take this quiz on contronyms, or words that can have opposite meanings.
Question 1 of 7
Choose the sentence that uses "rent" correctly.
No one wanted to rent the run-down house on the corner.
His rent was so loud that people the next block over could hear it.
I had rent the apartment from an eccentric old lady.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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Origin of hearken

1150–1200; Middle English hercnen,Old English he(o)rcnian, suffixed form of assumed *heorcian;see hark, -en1

OTHER WORDS FROM hearken

heark·en·er, noun

Words nearby hearken

hearing dog, hearing-ear dog, hearing-impaired, hearing impairment, hearing loss, hearken, Hearn, hear of, hear oneself think, can't, hear out, hearsay
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to hearken

hark, attend, eavesdrop, get, read, give, strain, apprehend, devour, take, descry, catch, heed, listen, overhear, auscultate, make out, pick up, be all ears, get wind of

Example sentences from the Web for hearken

British Dictionary definitions for hearken

hearken

sometimes US harken

/ (ˈhɑːkən) /

verb

archaic to listen to (something)

Derived forms of hearken

hearkener, noun

Word Origin for hearken

Old English heorcnian; see hark
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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