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

Robert’s eventual willingness to listen to reason in “The Grand Finale” was important to Bonneville.

From Los Angeles Times

"Coupled with the fact there are outstanding issues around staff travel arrangements, an atmosphere of distrust has been created, where our members feel like no-one is listening to them."

From BBC

I got to a certain point, my mum said to me: "When you say something, people listen."

From BBC

She listened to She's Leaving Home on a loop as a young woman plotting her escape.

From BBC

“As I said during our town hall, some of the most formative moments of my life happened in rooms where I was a fly on the wall, listening and learning,” Ellison wrote in his email.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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