listen

[lis-uhn]

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 followed byto ).

   Children don't always listen to their parents.

3. to wait attentively for a sound (usually followed byfor ).

   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)

1. Archaic.,  to give ear to; hear.

verb phrase

1. listen in

   1. to listen to a radio or television broadcast.

      Listen in tomorrow for the names of the lottery winners.

   2. to overhear a conversation or communication, especially by telephone; eavesdrop.

      Someone was listening in to his private calls.

listen

/ ˈlɪsən /

verb

1. to concentrate on hearing something

2. to take heed; pay attention

   I told you many times but you wouldn't listen

Other Word Forms

• listener noun
• relisten verb
• unlistening adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of listen¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English lis(t)nen, Old English hlysnan; cognate with Middle High German lüsenen, Swedish lyssna; akin to list ⁵

Word History and Origins

Origin of listen¹

Old English hlysnan; related to Old High German lūstrēn

Synonym Study

See hear.

Example Sentences

I was a teenager when I first started listening to Laboe in the 1970s.

From Los Angeles Times

Everyone in the neighbourhood, including women and children, is listening.

From BBC

"Those who died didn't have any weapons on them. Some even tried to surrender, but the police did not listen," he says.

From BBC

I was standing at the back of Methodist Central Hall in Westminster listening to a quartet of prime ministers.

From BBC

Our parents made us go to church every week and listen to the priest drone on.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accept 
• admit 
• attend 
• get 
• observe 
• take notice www.thesaurus.com
• tune in