Etimology
From Middle English listenen, listnen, alteration (due to Middle English listen (“to listen, give heed to”)) of Old English hlysnan (“to listen”), from Proto-Germanic *hlusnijaną, *hlusnōną (compare Middle High German lüsenen), from Proto-Germanic *hlusēną (compare Old High German hlosēn), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”) (compare Ancient Greek κλαίω (klaíō, “I make known, famous”), Welsh clywed (“to hear”), Latin clueō (“I am famous”), Lithuanian klausýti, Old Church Slavonic слушати (slušati, “to hear”), Sanskrit श्रोषति (śróṣati). Related to loud and German lauschen.
verb
listen (third-person singular simple present listens, present participle listening, simple past and past participle listened)
To use one's sense of hearing in an intentional way; to make deliberate use of one's ears; to pay attention to or wait for a specific sound.
(intransitive) To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent.
Examples
Please listen carefully as I explain.
It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. […]. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.
He reined Wrangle to a walk, halted now and then to listen, and then proceeded cautiously with shifting and alert gaze.
He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.
'But, sir, lyars ye have lystened, and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.'Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.Here laid his Scrip, with wholesome Viands fill'd, / There, listening every Noise, his watchful Dog.
'But, sir, lyars ye have lystened, and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.'
Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.
Here laid his Scrip, with wholesome Viands fill'd, / There, listening every Noise, his watchful Dog.
I like to listen to music.I'm listening to what you say / Even though I look the other way / But you could never understand / The feeling of what I'm needing
I like to listen to music.
I'm listening to what you say / Even though I look the other way / But you could never understand / The feeling of what I'm needing
You should listen for the starting gun.
You should listen for the starting gun.
Listen, the only reason I yelled at you was because I was upset, OK?
Good children listen to their parents.
Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest […].
Related words
synonyms
(to pay attention): attend, behear, give ear, hark, hear, heed, list, mind, note, pay attention
(to expect or wait for a sound): await, anticipate, expect, wait for
(to accept advice or instruction): agree, assent, hearken, mind, obey
(to hear): hear, mind, heed
See also Thesaurus:listen
antonyms
(antonym(s) of "to pay attention"): ignore
(antonym(s) of "to accept advice or instruction"): disobey, disregard
coordinate terms
speak
talk
related terms
list
listful
noun
listen (plural listens)
An instance of listening.
Examples
Synonym: play
Give the motor a listen and tell me if it sounds off.
The diss song, “Back to Back,” now has more than 124 million listens, a sign that the streaming can attract a sizable audience for a single track.
I hadn't spoken to her in a year, but she could still see my listens on the music platform we both used.