listen
verbnountop 1 000 in film dialogue
- //ˈlɪsən//
- /[ˈlɪsən] ~ [ˈlɪsn̩]/
To use one's sense of hearing and auditory cognition in an intentional way; to make deliberate use of one's ears; to pay attention to or wait for a specific sound.
verb
- 1
To use one's sense of hearing and auditory cognition in an intentional way; to make deliberate use of one's ears; to pay attention to or wait for a specific sound.
Please listen carefully as I explain.
I could hear you talking upstairs, but I didn’t really listen to your conversation.
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.
- 2
To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent.
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[…].
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew-der. Proto-Germanic *hlusnijaną Old English hlysnan Middle English listenen English listen 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”). Cognate with Swedish lyssna (“to listen”). Compare Ancient Greek κλαίω (klaíō, “to make known, famous”), Welsh clywed (“to hear”), Latin clueō (“to be famous”), Lithuanian klausýti, Old Church Slavonic слушати (slušati, “to hear”), Sanskrit श्रोषति (śróṣati, “an exclamation used in making an offering with fire to the gods or departed spirits”) & Sanskrit श्लोक्य (ślókya, “voice, sound, noisy”)). Related to loud and German lauschen.
noun
- 1
An instance of listening.
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.
Forms
- plural
- listens
- past tense
- listened
- past participle
- listened
- present participle
- listening
- third person singular
- listens
listen · To use one's sense of hearing and auditory cognition in an intentional way; to make deliberate use of one's ears; to pay attention to or wait for a…
listener · Someone who listens, especially to a speech or a broadcast.listening · Of something or someone that listens.lister · One who, or that which, lists or produces a listing.