Middle English Dictionary Entry

hẹ̄ren v.
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Entry Info

Forms hẹ̄ren v. Also hēren, her, heiren, eren, heræn, heri, ȝere, hearen, hæren, har, heoren, hiren, hieren, huren, huiren. Forms: sg. 2 hẹ̄rest, hẹ̄res, hūrest & herst, harste, hierst; sg. 3 hẹ̄reth, hẹ̄res, hīreth, hiereth, hūreth, huireth & hers, hirs, hierth; pl. hẹ̄ren, hẹ̄reth, hers, hæreth, heoreth, hīreth, hiereth, hūreth; p. hē̆rd(e, hẹ̄̆red(e, hærde, hā̆rd(e, heorde, heorda, hī̆rde, hū̆rde, huirde; ppl. hē̆rd(e, hẹ̄̆red, ẹ̄̆rde, hā̆rd(e(n, heord(e, hū̆rde. Contractions: herestou, harstou, harsto (= herest thou); herdestou, herdtou (= herdest thou).
Etymology OE; cp. A ge)hēra(n; sg. 2 ge)hēres, gehērs; sg. 3 gehēreþ, ge)hēres; p. ge)hērde; ppl. gehēred; WS ge)hīeran, ge)hīran, ge)hȳran; sg. 2 gehȳrst, gehȳrest; sg. 3 ge)hȳr(e)þ; p. hīerde, ge)hȳrde; ppl. gehȳred. Some ME forms show confusion with herien v.(1). The ȝ- forms may belong with ihẹ̄ren.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) To hear (a sound, speech, words, message, etc.); fer herd, heard afar; (b) to hear (sb. or sth. making sounds), hear (sb. who speaks), hear (a noisy action); (c) fig. of love, the soul: to hear, sense, feel; (d) in phrases, etc.: for likinge to ~, for pleasantness of sound; herest thou, do you hear!, mark my words!; as I here, as ye haven herd, as ye mouen ~, pite was to ~, wonder is to ~, etc.
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2.
(a) To be able to hear; have the function of hearing; (b) ppl. hering, herende, hearing; hering ere, the hearing ear; hering these knightes, these knights having heard, with these knights as witnesses; hering hem al, in the hearing of them all; as noun: the hering, those who hear, the hearers.
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3.
To understand (sth.), comprehend; ~ on, understand (a language).
Show 3 Quotations
4a.
(a) To listen to (sb. or sth.); listen to the reading of (a book, treatise); hear (confession); ~ up, listen to (a sermon); (b) to listen; in proverbs: make a practice of listening; Here-wel, a personification; (c) in commands: listen, listen to this, pay attention; listen to (me), listen to (a voice, sth. said); ~ to (sb.), listen to; ~ ye, hear ye, listen!
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4b.
To hear (mass); attend (a mass or other service of divine worship); also, make a practice of attending (divine worship).
Show 21 Quotations
4c.
(a) Of God: to answer (a prayer), grant (a petition, request); hear or answer the prayer of (sb.); hear a prayer; (b) of a pagan god: to answer (a prayer); (c) of a person: to grant (a request); accede to the request of (sb.); be gracious or generous.
Show 27 Quotations
4d.
(a) To hear or try (a case at law), judge; hear (a dispute, complaint, petition); give (sb.) a hearing; conduct a judicial hearing; (b) to hear (an official accounting or report).
Show 16 Quotations
5.
(a) To hear of (sb. or sth.), learn about, find out; receive (news or tidings); ~ that, learn that (sth. is done or is true); ~ of, hear of (sb. or sth.), hear about, have news of; -- also refl.; who herde ever, who ever heard of; (b) ~ seien (iseien, tellen), to learn of (sth.) by report or hearsay, hear (sth.) said or told; ~ tellen (speken) of, hear tell of (sth.), learn about (sb. or sth.) by report; ~ tellen (seien) that, learn by report that (sth. is true, has happened, etc.); as I have herd tellen (carpen), as I herde seien, as I have heard tell; as ye haven herd devisen (seien), as you have heard recounted; (c) ~ seid (spoken) = ~ seien; ~ told (seid, spoken) of = ~ tellen of; ~ seid that = ~ seien that.
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6.
(a) To obey (sb.); serve (sb.), be subject to (a king); follow the advice of (sb.); ~ to me, ?take my advice, ?be obedient to me; (b) to obey (a command, law, words, voice); follow (advice or counsel); ~ to (til); (c) to serve (God, a god), worship; (d) ~ to (into), to be subject to (a nation, a city); (e) ~ to (into), to belong to (a nation, region), be a part of.
Show 30 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • (1447) Shillingford11 : Hit is my part to hire and to reporte.
    • Note: New spelling
    Note: For 1.(a)--per SL & SMK

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Add form here to form sec. as infinitive. (This infinitive spelling is found in other quots under heren v., but was not included in form sec.--per MLL
Note: Form also found in a Methodius (3) quot. "yt ys schame and velony. To..here to mannys entent" but we don't need the quote for any reason.--per MLL

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