Listen I Listening Listened ˈlɪsn Hear Verb Noise

• listen! what's that noise? can you hear it?
• sorry, i wasn't really listening.
• he had been listening at the door.
• to listen to music/the radio

listen

Verb Forms

1. to pay attention to somebody/something that you can hear
• Listen! What's that noise? Can you hear it?
• Sorry, I wasn't really listening.
• He had been listening at the door.
• to listen to music/the radio
• to listen to a song/an album
• I listened carefully to her story.
• He was listening intently to what she was saying.
• You haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said!

Extra Examples

• He was hardly listening, for he had too much on his mind.
• I listened with half an ear to the conversation at the next table.
• I was listening to the radio.
• Lucy was only half listening to their conversation.
• Now, listen very carefully to what she says.
• Pym listened impassively until the woman had finished.
• The guests were listening with great interest.
• They listened to the announcement in silence.
• We listened politely to his stories.
2. used to tell somebody to take notice of what you are going to say
• Listen, there's something I have to tell you.
3. to take notice of what somebody says to you so that you follow their advice or believe them
• I tried to warn her, but she wouldn't listen.
• None of this would have happened if you'd listened to me.
• The government is willing to listen to any concerns that people have.
• Why won't you listen to reason?

Extra Examples

• You need to listen to me!
• He refused to listen to her explanation.
• I didn't even bother to listen to his reply.

Word Origin

• Old English hlysnan ‘pay attention to’, of Germanic origin.