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Listening vs Speaking - What's the difference?

listening | speaking |

As adjectives the difference between listening and speaking

is that listening is of something or someone that listens while speaking is used in speaking.

As nouns the difference between listening and speaking

is that listening is action of the verb listeningspeaking is one's ability to communicate vocally in a given language.

As verbs the difference between listening and speaking

is that listening is present participle of lang=en while speaking is present participle of lang=en.

listening

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Of something or someone that listens.
  • Any listening person can tell she's lying.
  • Of something that is used in order to hear or to improve the ability to hear.
  • He could hear better when he used his listening device.
  • Of an action that is performed with caution and attention to sounds.
  • *
  • The safest cover lay close under the wall of the cañon, and here through the dense thickets Venters made his slow, listening advance toward the oval.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Action of the verb listening
  • *, chapter=10
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.}}
  • Skill or ability of perceiving spoken language.
  • Verb

    (head)
  • Derived terms

    * listening post * listening station

    Anagrams

    * *

    speaking

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Used in speaking.
  • one's normal speaking voice
  • Expressive; eloquent.
  • The sight was more speaking than any speech could be.
  • Involving speaking.
  • It was her first speaking part: she screamed.
  • Having the ability of speech.
  • speaking parrot''; ''speaking clock
  • # (in compounds) Having competence in a language.
  • the English-speaking gentleman gave us directions; I travel in Russian-speaking countries; the French-speaking world listened in to the broadcast
  • Antonyms

    * (expressive) unspeaking * (involving speaking) nonspeaking

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One's ability to communicate vocally in a given language.
  • :I can read and understand mosts texts in German, but my speaking is awful.
  • The act of communicating vocally.
  • * 2011 , Jimmie W. Greene, ?Samuel D. Perry, Bridge Builder (page 50)
  • Sometimes, a brawl would erupt, as a result, but, in general, public speakings were peaceful events and essential ingredients for election to office.
  • An oral recitation of e.g. a story.
  • Verb

    (head)
  • Statistics

    *