listen in English: To pay attention to a sound with your ears. (verb)

Translation

To pay attention to a sound with your ears.

Word origin

From Old English hlysnan, meaning to pay attention to a sound.

Origin: Old English
Root: hlysnan

Grammar

Verb typeregular (listen, listens, listened, listened)

Examples

.

"Listen" means to give attention to a sound.

.

"Listens" is the form used with he, she, or it.

.

"Listened" is the past form of "listen".

When you listen, you use your ears and pay close attention to a sound. To hear is to take in a sound, but to listen is to choose to give it your attention.

Related words

hear

To take in a sound through your ears.

talk

To say words to someone and share ideas or news by speaking.

music

Pleasant sounds made by singing or by playing instruments.

sound

A sound is anything that you can hear with your ears.

ask

To say a question, or to tell someone you want something.

audience

The people who watch or listen to a show.

ignore

To hear or see someone and decide to give them no attention.

record

To keep sounds, pictures, or facts so that you can use them again later.

Where this fits

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Used in

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