Definitions for listen
ˈlɪs ənlis·ten

Princeton's WordNet(1.25 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. listen(verb)

   hear with intention

   "Listen to the sound of this cello"

2. listen, hear, take heed(verb)

   listen and pay attention

   "Listen to your father"; "We must hear the expert before we make a decision"

3. heed, mind, listen(verb)

   pay close attention to; give heed to

   "Heed the advice of the old men"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. listen(Verb)

   To pay attention to a sound, to note.

   Etymology: From listnen, from hlysnan, from *hlusinon (compare lüstern, luisteren and lauschen), from ḱlew-. Akin to rochluiniur 'I hear', clueo, κλαίω, κλέος, լամ, degjoj, from ant. glôj, glûej, слути, слѹшати, klausau 'to hear', Middle Persian , श्रु. More at loud.

2. listen(Verb)

   To wait for a sound, such as a signal.

   You should listen for the starting gun.

   Etymology: From listnen, from hlysnan, from *hlusinon (compare lüstern, luisteren and lauschen), from ḱlew-. Akin to rochluiniur 'I hear', clueo, κλαίω, κλέος, լամ, degjoj, from ant. glôj, glûej, слути, слѹшати, klausau 'to hear', Middle Persian , श्रु. More at loud.

3. listen(Verb)

   To accept or obey oral instruction.

   Good children listen to their parents.

   Etymology: From listnen, from hlysnan, from *hlusinon (compare lüstern, luisteren and lauschen), from ḱlew-. Akin to rochluiniur 'I hear', clueo, κλαίω, κλέος, լամ, degjoj, from ant. glôj, glûej, слути, слѹшати, klausau 'to hear', Middle Persian , श्रु. More at loud.

4. listen(Verb)

   To hear (something or someone), to pay attention to.

   Etymology: From listnen, from hlysnan, from *hlusinon (compare lüstern, luisteren and lauschen), from ḱlew-. Akin to rochluiniur 'I hear', clueo, κλαίω, κλέος, լամ, degjoj, from ant. glôj, glûej, слути, слѹшати, klausau 'to hear', Middle Persian , श्रु. More at loud.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Listen(verb)

   to give close attention with the purpose of hearing; to give ear; to hearken; to attend

2. Listen(verb)

   to give heed; to yield to advice; to follow admonition; to obey

3. Listen(verb)

   to attend to

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Listen

   Listen is the third album by R&B singer TQ. It was released on August 31, 2004 in the United States and October 17, 2005 in the United Kingdom.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. listen

   To focus and hear what a person is saying or communicating.

   They did listen to each other respectfully.

   Submitted by MaryC on January 16, 2020  

2. listen

   To give attention, hear and remember what a person is saying.

   They did listen to each other respectfully.

   Submitted by MaryC on January 16, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'listen' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2214

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'listen' in Written Corpus Frequency: #670

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'listen' in Verbs Frequency: #191

Anagrams for listen »

1. enlist, inlets, leints, silent, tinsel

2. Enlist

3. Inlets

4. Leints

5. Silent

6. Tinsel

How to pronounce listen?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say listen in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of listen in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of listen in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of listen in a Sentence

1. John Boehner:

   Listen, I think Paul is going to get the support that he is looking for.

2. Jen Principe and Toni Musso:

   He said he had nothing to live for, and he had no reason to be here on earth anymore, i kind of locked eyes with him and just said,' I'm here for you, I've been sent as your guardian. I need you to listen to me. Just look at me and listen to my words.'.

3. Markel Hutchins:

   Alexis' mother was literally unable to speak. All that she could do was listen as I tried to console and comfort her, alexis' father said,' If Atlanta Police wanted to take somebody's life Atlanta Police could have taken mine. Atlanta Police didn't have to kill my baby, Atlanta Police didn't have to kill her.'.

4. Fujiko Sasaki:

   Sadako! Listen! Can you hear your friends’ strong voices for peace? As the mother of a child who passed away when she was only twelve and a half years old, I’d like to appeal to mothers not only in Japan but all over the world that I don’t want such a horrible thing to happen again. So many children are looking for peace.

5. Russell Crowe:

   People are wondering what the magic ingredient is that makes chemistry and that's all we have. We just listen to each other. We don't make assumptions of what the other one may do at any given moment in a scene the Nice Guys.

Images & Illustrations of listen

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