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Hear vs Hearken - What's the difference?

hear | hearken |

In intransitive terms the difference between hear and hearken

is that hear is to perceive sounds through the ear while hearken is to listen; to attend or give heed to what is uttered; to hear with attention, obedience, or compliance.

In transitive terms the difference between hear and hearken

is that hear is to listen to (a person, case) in a court of law; to try while hearken is to hear with attention; to regard.

hear

English

(wikipedia hear)

Verb

  • (label) To perceive sounds through the ear.
  • (label) To perceive (a sound, or something producing a sound) with the ear, to recognize (something) in an auditory way.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.}}
  • (label) To exercise this faculty intentionally; to listen to.
  • * 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , (w) X:
    • Agayne there was dissencion amonge the iewes for these sayinges, and many of them sayd: He hath the devyll, and is madde: why heare ye hym?
  • *{{quote-book, year=1935, author= George Goodchild
    • , title=Death on the Centre Court, chapter=3 , passage=It had been his intention to go to Wimbledon, but as he himself said: “Why be blooming well frizzled when you can hear all the results over the wireless. And results are all that concern me. […]”}}
  • (label) To listen favourably to; to grant (a request etc.).
  • (label) To receive information about; to come to learn of.
  • * 1667 , (John Milton), (Paradise Lost) :
    • Adam, soon as he heard / The fatal Trespass don by Eve, amaz'd, / Astonied stood and Blank [...].
  • (label) To listen to (a person, case) in a court of law; to try.
  • To sympathize with; to share the feeling or opinion of.

    • Derived terms

    * another county heard from * forehear * hard of hearing * hear about * hear hear * hear on the grapevine * hear out * hear the grass grow * hearing aid * mishear * overhear * rehear

    See also

    * audible * deaf * listen

    References

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    Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * * * * English irregular verbs English terms with homophones 1000 English basic words

    hearken

    English

    Alternative forms

    * harken

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • 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.
  • (poetic) To hear by listening.
  • * Spenser
    • [She] hearkened now and then / Some little whispering and soft groaning sound.
  • To hear with attention; to regard.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The King of Naples hearkens my brother's suit.
  • (obsolete) To enquire; to seek information.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Hearken after their offense.

    Quotations

    * , 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 : , Œnone *: Dear mother Ida, harken ere I die. * 1809-49 : The Tell-Tale Heart, *: How then am I mad? Hearken ! and observe how healthily, how calmly, I can tell you the whole story.

    References

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