Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Hearken
Heark′en
(härk′’n)
, Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Hearkened
(-’nd)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Hearkening
.] 1.
To listen; to lend the ear; to attend to what is uttered; to give heed; to hear, in order to obey or comply.
The Furies
hearken
, and their snakes uncurl. Dryden.
Hearken
, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you. Deut. iv. 1.
Syn. – To attend; listen; hear; heed. See
Attend
, Verb.
I.
Heark′en
,Verb.
T.
1.
To hear by listening.
[Archaic]
[She]
Some little whispering and soft groaning sound.
hearkened
now and thenSome little whispering and soft groaning sound.
Spenser.
2.
To give heed to; to hear attentively.
[Archaic]
The King of Naples . . .
hearkens
my brother’s suit. Shakespeare
To hearken out
, to search out.
[Obs.]
If you find none, you must
hearken out
a vein and buy. B. Johnson.
Webster 1828 Edition
Hearken
HE`ARKEN
,Verb.
I.
1.
To listen; to lend the ear; to attend to what is uttered, with eagerness or curiosity. The furies hearken, and their snakes uncurl.
2.
To attend; to regard; to give heed to what is uttered; to observe or obey. Hearken, O Israel, to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you. Deut.4.
3.
To listen;; to attend; to grant or comply with. Hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant.
l Kings 8.
HE`ARKEN
,Verb.
T.
Definition 2024
hearken
hearken
English
Alternative forms
Verb
hearken (third-person singular simple present hearkens, present participle hearkening, simple past and past participle hearkened)
- (intransitive) To listen; to attend or give heed to what is uttered; to hear with attention, obedience, or compliance.
- Dryden
- The Furies hearken, and their snakes uncurl.
- Bible, Deuteronomy
- Hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you.
- Dryden
- (transitive, poetic) To hear by listening.
- Spenser
- [She] hearkened now and then / Some little whispering and soft groaning sound.
- Spenser
- (transitive) To hear with attention; to regard.
- Shakespeare
- The King of Naples […] hearkens my brother's suit.
- Shakespeare
- (obsolete) To enquire; to seek information.
- Shakespeare
- Hearken after their offense.
- Shakespeare
Translations
to hear with attention
Quotations
- 1611, Bible (KJV):, Genesis 3:17
- And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
- 1833: Alfred Tennyson, Œnone
- Dear mother Ida, harken ere I die.
- 1809-49: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe
- How then am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily, how calmly, I can tell you the whole story.
References
- hearken in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911