listen
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listen
- /ˈlɪsən/
- [ˈlɪsən] ~ [ˈlɪsn̩]
Rhymes with -ɪsən
Where it comes from
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.
verb listens · listening · listened · lisen · lis'en
- 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.
- To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent. Listen, the only reason I yelled at you was because I was upset, OK?
Similar: attend, be all ears, behear, earball, give ear, hark, harken, heed, lend an ear, list, listen close, mind
noun listens · lisen · lis'en · lissen
- An instance of listening. Give the motor a listen and tell me if it sounds off.
