What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Hears vs Listens - What's the difference?

hears | listens |

As verbs the difference between hears and listens

is that hears is third-person singular of hear while listens is third-person singular of listen.

hears

English

Verb

(head)
  • (hear)
  • Anagrams

    *

    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

    * *

    Statistics

    *

    listens

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • (listen)
  • Anagrams

    * * * ----

    listen

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (lb) To pay attention to a sound or speech.
  • :
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
  • , chapter=1 citation , passage=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.}}
  • (lb) To expect or wait for a sound, such as a signal.
  • :
  • *
  • *: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.
  • (lb) To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest.
  • To hear (something or someone), to pay attention to.
  • *1485 , Sir (Thomas Malory), (w, Le Morte d'Arthur) , Book XX:
  • *:‘But, sir, lyars ye have lystened , and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.’
  • *1592 , (William Shakespeare), : v 3
  • *:Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.
  • Usage notes

    In English, listen'' and ''hear'' are two primary verbs relating to audial perception. To (hear) represents automatic, unconscious, or passive perception of sound, while ''listen generally represents intentional, conscious, or purposeful use of the sense of hearing. The difference is expressed in the following quotation: : As the silence took hold in the darkness, Sam realized that she had been hearing', though not '''listening to, various low-level sounds—the hum of air conditioning and life support, the pulse of some faraway oxygen pump, the faint buzz of the electrical and lighting systems. —Justin Richards (1999) ''Demontage , chapter 5, page 92. A similar distinction exists between see'' and ''watch in English.

    Synonyms

    * (to pay attention) attend, behear, give ear, hark, hear, heed, list, mind, note, pay attention * (to expect or wait for a sound) await, anticipate, expect, wait for * (to accept advice or instruction) agree, assent, mind, obey * (to hear) hear, mind, heed * See also

    Antonyms

    * (to pay attention) ignore * (to accept advice or instruction) disobey, disregard

    Coordinate terms

    * speak * talk

    Derived terms

    * listenability * listenable * listener * listenership * listening * listen in * listen up * listening post * listening station * relisten * unlistenable

    See also

    * hear