Middle English Dictionary Entry
herkenen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | herkenen v. Also herken(e, herkken, heorkenen, harken(en, hearken & herkne(n, hercne(n, erkne, ercne, heorcnen, hærcne(n, harknen & herkni, hercni(e(n, hercnin, hercnigen, heorkni, harkni, harcnien. Contraction: terkne (= to herkne). Forms: p. herknede, etc. & hærcnede, herkont; ppl. herkened, etc. & ihercned. |
| Etymology | OE he(o)rcnian |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) To make an effort to hear, listen with close attention; also, pay attention, take heed; ~ hider(ward, listen to this; mis ~, use one's hearing sinfully; (b) Herkenewel, a personification; (c) to listen in order to overhear, eavesdrop.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)27/116 : Swa þæt we hit þæs-þe openlucor mugen understanden, trahtnigen we..hwæt oðre halgen behealdeð and hercnigeð on Marie wisen and hwæt þeos.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8887 : Hærcne hiderward, Julius.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)16295 : Hærcneð nu, mi men.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)742 : Heo stod hercnende, & biheold efter help up toward heouene.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1127 : Alle þe oðere hercneden mid swiðe open earen.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)4/7 : [H]ercneð, alle þe earen & herunge habbeð.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)50/4 : For ȝe habbeð iherd, ȝef ȝe hercneden riht.
- a1250 Lofsong Lefdi (Nero A.14)205 : Ich habbe imaked ȝetes of alle mine fif wittes to sunfule unþeawes, mis i-loked, Mis ihercned, Mis ifeled, mis ispeken.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)457/32 : Þo seint leonard herde þar-of he gan heorkni and a-bide.
- a1350 Of Rybaudȝ (Hrl 2253)39 : Herkneþ hideward, horsmen; a tidyng ich ou telle.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)38/443 : Þe king herkneþ & sitt ful stille; To here his gle he haþ gode wille.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.23.18 : He..seiþ, 'stond, balac, & erkne [vr. herkne]; here, þou sone of sephor.'
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3159 : And if yow list to herkne hiderward, I wol yow seyn the lyf of seint Edward.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1551 : Herkne, my brother, herkne, by thy feith! Herestow nat how that the cartere seith?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)15321 : Herkens nu..mi freindes.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1708 : Þe fox..Hauilounez & herkenez bi heggez ful ofte.
- c1400 I herd an harping (BodDon c.13)4 : His witt was of a wonderful skille; þus herkend I bihynde.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)535 : I..stood ful long and oft herknyng, If that I herde ony wight comyng.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)630 : Whan Ydelnesse had told al this, And I hadde herkned wel.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)108 : Thus, if the see be kepte, then herkene hedere.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2108 : The folke þen floked abowt þem fast All forto herkyn and take hede.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)15 : But he harkynd, and hard grete noise without.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)184 : To Herkyn: vbi to lysten.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)130/440 : Harken ay when thay call.
b
- c1400 PPl.C (Vsp B.16)11.145 : Herkenewel [Hnt: Syre seewel, syre seiwel, syre huyrewel þe hende].
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.21.27 : The folie of a man to herknen [L auscultare] thurȝ the dores.
1b.
Phrases: (a) ~ of (o), to learn about (sb. or sth.) by listening; seek word of (sb. or sth.); (b) ~ to (at, towardes, unto, til), to listen to (sb. or sth.), give heed to.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19668 : Heo eoden to þære dale..& hærcneden..of þas kinges hærme.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)60/8 : Nu hercnið of þe fifte.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2617 : Of þe hert & þe hinde herkenes now ferþer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.96 : Now herkne, who that wol it hiere, Of my fortune how that it ferde.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1699 : I trowe it were to longe yow to tarie..for to herknen of hir riche array.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9390 : Yee sal se wit rightwis scill, þat herken o [Göt: harkins of] þis stori will.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1646 : Þey hye to þe holte..To herken of þe hye men to helpen theis lordes.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2243 : Hearken now of the stewarde!
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7346 : Herkinys now a hondqwile of a hegh cas.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)6 : When folk ere festid & fed..sum has langing of lufe lays to herken, How ledis for þaire lemmans has langor endured.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)90/15 : Sydone was passyng sory and sent mony tymes to herkyn of Ponthus, and myght here noo glad tithynges of hym.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)299 : Now harkened of an aunter þat felle Þo anoon ryȝt!
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4016 : Furth..he rideth in to the place, Ther as he founde Generides before, Of that fortune to harkyn forthermore.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)18467 : Wiþþ innwarrd herrte buȝhenn..& herrcnenn till hiss lare.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26731 : Cnihtes, hercnieð [Otho: hercneþ] nu to me.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27294 : Hercneð nu touwardes me.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)59/76 : Hercnið alle to þis writ.
- ?a1300 Thrush & N.(Dgb 86)112 : Fowel, herkne to mi sawe, Ich wile þe telle of here lawe.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)3381 : Hercne, louerd, to me.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1338 : Ech man..Þat of soþnesse is whole, herkny now to me.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1634 : Now herken, king, to tale min.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)523 : Man, if þu wolt to me herkny.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1213 : But herkneth to my tale.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2630 : Godd will herken to þi car.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1192 : 'Sir king,' he seide, 'herken to me; A good counsell y shal ȝeue þe.'
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)111/7 : Herkyns to me; now moy ȝe here What payns to synful mon be dyȝt.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)374/37 : Mi bretheren, harkens to me here.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)496/15 : Sir Trystramys wolde com to the harpe and harkyn thereto.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)355/10 : In pes be ye and herkenyth on to hem.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)185/996 : Take this tresour..to Appolyn..And herkyn at him [vrr. aske of him; wite at him], þat we ne fayle, How we shall spede at our batayle.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.50.34b : Loo, here mai þou seen how oure lord calliþ þe and alle oþer whilk wilen herken to hym.
2a.
(a) To listen to (sounds or sth. said), listen to the reading of (sth.); also, pay attention to (sth.), give heed to (sth.); -- with noun obj. or noun clause; (b) to seek to hear (sth.) by listening, listen for (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)12/17 : Þe bið unrihtwis þe heorcnæð þare wordæ & nele heom awenden to weorce him to þearfe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11723 : Ȝuw birrþ herrcnenn Godess word & haldenn itt & follȝhenn.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1517 : Ȝe beoð mine leofe men; hercniað mine lare.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15543 : [They] hercneden [Otho: hercnede] þa runen whær heo mihten ifinden speken of swulche childe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)199 : We..ditteð þe eare and noh[t] ne hercnið here gal.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)34/573 : Iher þi feader & hercne his read.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1720 : Nan eorðlich ehe ne mei hit seon..ne nan eorðlich eare hercnin ne heren.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)44/4 : Nawt ane þet hit spekeð ah þet hit hercneð.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)25192 : Arthur, þou ha wel isaid, ercne mine wordes.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)76 : Ȝhe..herknede song of wilde foules.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)63/9 : And ham to harkin is zenne.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1526 : Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe That was so neigh to herknen [vrr. herken, harken] al his sawe.
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)22 : Ful stille I stod..To herken hou þat Brid gan synge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4173 : A wilde fyr on thair bodyes falle Wha herkned euere slik a ferly thyng.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.113 : Herkne what is the sentence of the wise.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1999 : My will, myn herte and al my witt Ben fully set to herkne and spire What eny man wol speke of hire.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3117 : Herkens [Göt: Herkin; Trin-C: Hereþ] o godd, þat all weldand, How he wald faand his lel seruand.
- a1400 Cato(3) (Frf 14)218 : Waite..a quile stille herkening quat ilk man sais.
- (a1400) Chaucer CT.Rt.(Manly-Rickert)I.1081 : Preye I to hem alle that herkne this litel tretys or rede.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1369 : Uche duk..Schulde com to his cort..to reche hym reverens, and his revel herkken.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1274 : For þe costes..þat I haf er herkkened & halde hit here trwee, Þer schulde no freke vpon folde bifore yow be chosen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1866 : Herkene what I seye.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)4 : Almyghti God..schilde his S[ervan]des out of syn..Þat herkens [Ywa]yne and Gawayne!
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.164 : Ther wente many a wight, To herknen of Palladion the servyse.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)73 : Oure Lord hath herkenyd my preyer.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)106 : Alone I wente in my plaiyng, The smale foules song harknyng.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)2/4 : Þat erin hauis, herkins [L audiat] wat þe haly spirt sais.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)139 : This song to herkenen I dide al myn entente.
- (a1449) Lydg.PPs.102 (Trin-C R.3.20(1))157 : Alle þe Aungelles..His voyce, his speeche, herkenyng day and night.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)35 : Lordynges, herkenes [vr. harken] bifore, How Kyng Rychard was gete and bore.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7553 : As hit happit of þes hynd, herkyn a while!
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)118 : Abide he unto tyme he have over studied wel bothe the firste and the secunde parties of this book in to the eend, and herkene he aftir what y write in othere bokis of latyn.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)8991 : Do thy dyllygence Terkne [vr. To herken] a-noon what I shal say.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)351 : Thei herkened and herde grete noyse of strokes.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19649 : Læten heom..gan to þas kinges dale, swulc heo weoren vn-hale, & imong þan wracchen harcnien [Otho: hercny] ȝeorne ȝif mon mihte mid crafte..cumen to Vder Pendragun.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)11355 : Ofte he verde to þan kinge hercnie tidinge.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)458 : Þe raven..H[o]vez hyȝe upon hyȝt to herken tyþyngez.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2304 : Into þe temple he turned tythandis to herken.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)167/132 : They..went to lond Auntres to herken and to fond.
2b.
To listen to (sb.); also, pay attention to (sb.), give heed to.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11424 : Hercne me, Octaue!
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)30/251 : Hercne me nuðen.
- c1225 SWard (Roy 17.A.27)40/375 : Muche neod is þet me ow ba ȝeornliche hercni.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)37/29 : Þus ðe ualse uikelare ablenðeð þeo ðe ham hercneð.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)362 : Þis foules heorkeneden him wel stille þe ȝwile is prechingue ilaste.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6299 : King edmond..herknede him ynou.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1888 : Þe Amyral herknede hym ful wel how he tolde ys tale.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2674 : But herkneth [vrr. herkeneþ, harkeneþ] me and stynteth noyse a lite.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4400 : Euery wys man lat hym herkne me.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1002 : And for as muche as he hath nat in his lyf herkned Iesu Crist whanne he hath spoken he shal crie to Iesu Crist at his laste day and scarsly wol he herkne [vr. harken] hym.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1596 : Now herkne me what I schal seie.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)14321 : Herkenis me..my frendis, þe þing [Trin-C: of þing] I telle ȝou salle.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)1192 : Sire kyng..herkene me.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.1.6 : I was ententyf to herkne hire.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3524 : Hade þai herkont þat hynde..Troy hade bene truly out of tene yet.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9238 : Scho herknet hym full hyndly.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9264 : Long he stode in a stody..herkonyng the qwene.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)267 : Bot will ȝe hendely me herken ane hande-while.
- a1500 Octav.(1) (Cmb Ff.2.38)114/858 : Clement tolde Florent, hys sone: 'Soche a gyaunt to þe walle ys come!' The chylde harkenyd hym then.
3.
?To learn (that sth. is so).
Associated quotations
- (1467-8) RParl.5.623a : In their conceytes there was never noon of the Kynges progenitours or predecessours that ever had such a convenient season for the recovere therof as he then had, yf it were used in tyme. Wheruppon they harken, and the tyme were not used, they must provide for theym self.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450(a1415) Mirk Fest.(Cld A.2:Powell)196/20 : Þan þoght Laurens for schewon mekenesse aȝeynus malys and herkenud ȝarne aftur pore men and wommen and ȝode to hem and ȝaf to hem þat neded mete and drink and cloþus.
Note: Editor's note: "herkenud ȝarne aftur: 'earnestly inquired for'. Confirmed by most MSS (but ynqueryd JK), but MED has only one example, of uncertain definition (herkenen v. 3. '(?)learn (that something is so)' and the context suggests rather OED hearken v. 8 'To get to hear of; to search out or find by inquiry' (first recorded 1590)."
Note: Glossary: "herkenud pa. sg. ~ aftur 'searched out by inquiry, found out about'."
Note: New sense.