Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - listen

(listens, listening, listened) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If you listen to someone who is talking or to a sound, you give your attention to them or it. He spent his time listening to the radio... Sonia was not listening. VERB: V to n, V • listener (listeners) One or two listeners had fallen asleep while the President was speaking. N-COUNT 2. If you listen for a sound, you keep alert and are ready to hear it if it occurs. We listen for footsteps approaching... They’re both asleep upstairs, but you don’t mind listening just in case of trouble, do you? VERB: V for n, V • Listen out means the same as listen. (BRIT) I didn’t really listen out for the lyrics. PHRASAL VERB: V P for n, also V P 3. If you listen to someone, you do what they advise you to do, or you believe them. Anne, you need to listen to me this time... When I asked him to stop, he would not listen. VERB: V to n, V 4. You say listen when you want someone to pay attention to you because you are going to say something important. Listen, I finish at one. = look CONVENTION