listen
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English listnen, alteration (interpreted as frequentative of listen) from Old English hlysnan, from Proto-Germanic *hlūsinōną (compare Middle High German lüsenen), from *hlusēną (compare Old High German hlosēn), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”) (compare Ancient Greek κλαίω (klaíō, “I make known, famous”), Latin clueō (“I am famous”), Lithuanian klausýti, Old Church Slavonic слѹшати (slušati, “to hear”), Sanskrit श्रोषति (śróṣati). Related to loud.
Pronunciation[edit]
- enPR: lĭs'ən, lĭs'n, IPA(key): /ˈlɪs.ən/, /ˈlɪs.n̩/
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Audio (UK) (file) -
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɪsən
- Hyphenation: lis‧ten
Verb[edit]
listen (third-person singular simple present listens, present participle listening, simple past and past participle listened)
- (intransitive) To pay attention to a sound or speech.
- Please listen carefully as I explain. I like to listen to music.
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1922, Ben Travers, chapter 1, A Cuckoo in the Nest[1]:
- 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.
- (intransitive) To expect or wait for a sound, such as a signal.
- You should listen for the starting gun.
- 1906, Stanley J. Weyman, Chippinge Borough, chapterI:
- 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.
- 1912, Zane Grey, Riders of the Purple Sage, Chapter 4
- He reined Wrangle to a walk, halted now and then to listen, and then proceeded cautiously with shifting and alert gaze.
- (intransitive) 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.
- 1945, George Orwell, Animal Farm, chapter 1
- Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest […].
- (transitive, archaic) To hear (something or someone), to pay attention to.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XX:
- ‘But, sir, lyars ye have lystened, and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.’
- 1592, William Shakespeare, 1 Hen VI: v 3
- Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XX:
Usage notes[edit]
In English, listen and hear are two primary verbs relating to audial perception. To hear represents automatic, unconscious, or passive perception of sound, while listen generally represents intentional, conscious, or purposeful use of the sense of hearing. The difference is expressed in the following quotation:
- As the silence took hold in the darkness, Sam realized that she had been hearing, though not listening to, various low-level sounds—the hum of air conditioning and life support, the pulse of some faraway oxygen pump, the faint buzz of the electrical and lighting systems. —Justin Richards (1999) Demontage, chapter 5, page 92.
A similar distinction exists between see and watch in English.
Quotations[edit]
- For usage examples of this term, see the citations page.
Synonyms[edit]
- (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, mind, obey
- (to hear): hear, mind, heed
- See also Wikisaurus:listen
Antonyms[edit]
Coordinate terms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Terms derived from listen
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
to pay attention to a sound
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to expect or wait for a sound
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to accept advice or obey instruction
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to hear (something)
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See also[edit]
Anagrams[edit]
Danish[edit]
Noun[edit]
listen c
Dutch[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
-
Audio (file)
Noun[edit]
listen
- Plural form of list
Anagrams[edit]
German[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Verb[edit]
listen (third-person singular simple present liste, past tense listete, past participle gelistet, auxiliary haben)
- to list
Conjugation[edit]
conjugation of listen
| infinitive | listen | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| present participle | listend | ||||
| past participle | gelistet | ||||
| auxiliary | haben | ||||
| indicative | subjunctive | ||||
| present | ich liste | wir listen | i | ich liste | wir listen |
| du listest | ihr listet | du listest | ihr listet | ||
| er listet | sie listen | er liste | sie listen | ||
| preterite | ich listete | wir listeten | ii | ich listete | wir listeten |
| du listetest | ihr listetet | du listetest | ihr listetet | ||
| er listete | sie listeten | er listete | sie listeten | ||
| imperative | liste (du) | listet (ihr) | |||
composed forms of listen
| perfect | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| indicative | ich habe gelistet | wir haben gelistet | subjunctive | ich habe gelistet | wir haben gelistet |
| du hast gelistet | ihr habt gelistet | du habest gelistet | ihr habet gelistet | ||
| er hat gelistet | sie haben gelistet | er habe gelistet | sie haben gelistet | ||
| pluperfect | |||||
| indicative | ich hatte gelistet | wir hatten gelistet | subjunctive | ich hätte gelistet | wir hätten gelistet |
| du hattest gelistet | ihr hattet gelistet | du hättest gelistet | ihr hättet gelistet | ||
| er hatte gelistet | sie hatten gelistet | er hätte gelistet | sie hätten gelistet | ||
| future i | |||||
| infinitive | listen werden | subjunctive i | ich werde listen | wir werden listen | |
| du werdest listen | ihr werdet listen | ||||
| er werde listen | sie werden listen | ||||
| indicative | ich werde listen | wir werden listen | subjunctive ii | ich würde listen | wir würden listen |
| du wirst listen | ihr werdet listen | du würdest listen | ihr würdet listen | ||
| er wird listen | sie werden listen | er würde listen | sie würden listen | ||
| future ii | |||||
| infinitive | gelistet haben werden | subjunctive i | ich werde gelistet haben | wir werden gelistet haben | |
| du werdest gelistet haben | ihr werdet gelistet haben | ||||
| er werde gelistet haben | sie werden gelistet haben | ||||
| indicative | ich werde gelistet haben | wir werden gelistet haben | subjunctive ii | ich würde gelistet haben | wir würden gelistet haben |
| du wirst gelistet haben | ihr werdet gelistet haben | du würdest gelistet haben | ihr würdet gelistet haben | ||
| er wird gelistet haben | sie werden gelistet haben | er würde gelistet haben | sie würden gelistet haben | ||
Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Related terms[edit]
- Liste f
Norwegian Bokmål[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Noun[edit]
listen m, f
Spanish[edit]
Verb[edit]
listen
- Second-person plural (ustedes) imperative form of listar.
- Second-person plural (ustedes) present subjunctive form of listar.
- Third-person plural (ellos, ellas, also used with ustedes?) present subjunctive form of listar.
Swedish[edit]
Noun[edit]
listen
- definite singular of list
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