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British

listen

[ lis-uhn ]

/ ˈlɪs ən /

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See synonyms for: listen / listened / listening / listener on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing; give ear.

to pay attention; heed; obey (often followed by to): Children don't always listen to their parents.

to wait attentively for a sound (usually followed by for): to listen for sounds of their return.

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)

Archaic. to give ear to; hear.

Verb Phrases

listen in,

to listen to a radio or television broadcast: Listen in tomorrow for the names of the lottery winners.
to overhear a conversation or communication, especially by telephone; eavesdrop: Someone was listening in to his private calls.

VIDEO FOR LISTEN

What Is The Difference Between The Words "Hear" And "Listen"?

See, everybody says they want to be heard. But, in actuality, they want to be listened to.

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QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of listen

before 950; Middle English lis(t)nen, Old English hlysnan; cognate with Middle High German lüsenen, Swedish lyssna; akin to list⁵

synonym study for listen

1. See hear.

OTHER WORDS FROM listen

lis·ten·er, nounre·lis·ten, verbun·lis·ten·ing, adjective

Words nearby listen

listed building, listed company, listed security, listee, listel, listen, listenable, listener, listenership, listen in, listening post

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use listen in a sentence

About a dozen attendees, socially distanced across the backyard, listened.
Election live updates: Trump returns to Wisconsin; Biden to face live audience at town hall|Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
The real skill is pattern recognition over time of who is actually useful for good information — knowing who to listen to and for what.
Startup founders must overcome information overload|Walter Thompson|September 17, 2020|TechCrunch
Instead, I took to spending whole days in the wetland, watching and listening.
How to hunt for star-nosed moles (and their holes)|Kenneth Catania|September 15, 2020|Popular-Science
As always, thanks for the feedback and thanks for listening.
What if Your Company Had No Rules? (Bonus Episode)|Maria Konnikova|September 12, 2020|Freakonomics

Even Spotify only shows you speed options when you’re listening to podcasts.
Read, watch, and listen to things faster than ever before|David Nield|September 9, 2020|Popular-Science
But if you listen to our leaders, they weren't the real targets here.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead|Luke O’Neil|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
What an amazing thing to be able to listen to any music you want, a whole world of bands.
Belle & Sebastian Aren’t So Shy Anymore|James Joiner|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
One of the rites of passage for every young political reporter is to listen to the elders tell stories about campaigns past.
The World’s Toughest Political Quiz|Jeff Greenfield|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But then I thought about the feedback I get from fans, yes we do listen to you, and thought why not?
Porn Stars on the Year in Porn: Drone Erotica, Belle Knox, and Wild Sex|Aurora Snow|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Why would they listen to the radio when they can see the outside world?
North Korea’s Secret Movie Bootleggers: How Western Films Make It Into the Hermit Kingdom|Lizzie Crocker|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But he walked up and down the room and forced himself to listen, though he could scarcely bear it, I could see.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
Shopkeepers ran out of their shops, housewives craned over their balconies to listen to him.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
I am always astonished, amazed and delighted afresh, and even as I listen I can hardly believe that the man can play so!
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
No one would listen to him but old Monsieur Farival, who went into convulsions over the droll story.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
I knew, further, that Sunday could not be a day of rest for her, for of all his people she would have to listen to his preaching.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd

British Dictionary definitions for listen

listen

/ (ˈlɪsən) /

verb (intr)

to concentrate on hearing something

to take heed; pay attentionI told you many times but you wouldn't listen

Derived forms of listen

listener, noun

Word Origin for listen

Old English hlysnan; related to Old High German lūstrēn

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