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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Hearken

Heärk'en, v. i.

verbintransitive

(härk'n), v. i. [imp. & p. p. HEARKENED; p. pr. & vb. n. HEARKENING.] [A-S. hērcnian, hyrcnian, O. D. harcken, horcken, L. Ger. harken, horken, N. H. Ger. horchen, O. H. Ger. hôrcheôn, from hôran, hören, A-S. hēran, hyran. See HEAR.] To listen; to lend the ear; to attend to what is uttered with eagerness or curiosity; to give heed; to hear with attention, obedience, or compliance.

The Furies hearken, and their snakes uncurl. Dryden.

Hearken, O Israel, to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you. Deut. iv. 1.

Synonyms—To attend; listen; hear; heed. See ATTEND.

Heärk'en, v. t.

verbtransitive

(härk'n), v. t. 1. To hear by listening; to listen to. [Obs.] Milton.

Sense 2. To give heed to; to hear attentively. [Obs.] Shak.

To hearken out, to search for. “If you find none, you must hearken out a vein and buy.” B. Jonson.