Meaning of listen | Babel Free

Definitions

1. 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.
2. To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent.
   intransitive

Equivalents

Examples

“Please listen carefully as I explain.”

“I could hear you talking upstairs, but I didn’t really listen to your conversation.”

“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.”

“He reined Wrangle to a walk, halted now and then to listen, and then proceeded cautiously with shifting and alert gaze.”

“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.”

“(transitive, archaic) Listen the watchman’s cry upon the wall.”

“'But, sir, lyars ye have lystened, and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.'”

“Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.”

“Here laid his Scrip, with wholesome Viands fill'd, / There, listening every Noise, his watchful Dog.”

“[with to] I like to listen to music.”

“I'm listening to what you say / Even though I look the other way / But you could never understand / The feeling of what I'm needing”

“[with for] You should listen for the starting gun.”

“Listen, the only reason I yelled at you was because I was upset, OK?”

“Good children listen to their parents.”

“Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest[…].”

CEFR level