Middle English Dictionary Entry
listen v.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | listen v.(2) Also list(e, (early) lhisten, lystæn & (early & SW) lust(e(n & lest(e(n, (early SEM) hlest(e(n, (early SEM & K) lheste(n & (errors) listlen, leshten, lihst. Forms: sg.3 listeth, (early) hlisteth & (early SEM) hlest, (K) lhest; pl. ind. & impv. listeth, (early) hlisteth, (N) listes, (early & S & SW) lusteth, (early SM) lesteth, hlesteth, (K) lhesteth; p. luste, (early) hliste, (K) lheste & listede. Contraction: impv. listou, lustu (= list thou). |
| Etymology | OE hlystan, sg. 3 hlyst, p. hlyste. ME listen is rather generally replaced by listenen after 1400. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To listen to (sb. or sth.); pay heed to (sb. or sth.); also fig.; heren (herken, lithen) and ~; in commands or calls for attention: list (listeth) nou; of the ear: hear (sth.); (b) ~ to (til, unto, of, on), to listen to (sb. or sth.); pay attention to (sb. or sth.); ~ and herken on to; in commands: list nou to; (c) to listen, pay attention; also, hear; ~ with ere(s; ppl. listinge, attentive.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)15/6 : Seo wæs sittende æt ures drihtenes foten and hlyste his worden.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)56/12 : Þe þe reden cunne, þe ræde; þe þe nan ne cunne, he lyste þam redendan.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)100/19 : Heo sceal Godes lare ȝeorne lystæn.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)132/3 : Swa bið eac þam læwæde monnum buton heo heore scriffte lusten & heræn.
- c1200 Wor.Serm.in EGSt.7 (Wor Q.29)58 : He fand þe vmmanne heorte..to redi for to lusten his mis lare.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.133 : All Ennglisshe lede Wiþþ ære shollde lisstenn itt.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)155 : He þe luueliche hlisteð godes lore..þere mennes heortes hlisteð luueliche godes lore.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)191 : He..smuhgð þer inne..atte earen ȝif it open ben to listen unnut oðer idel.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)226 : Ich..wille..warni hom wið hore unfrome ȝif ho me wulleð lusten [vr. hlesten].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13567 : Lust me nu, leodking.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25120 : Setten his kempen and hit quides lusten [Otho: luste].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)61 : Ac listeð nu wich þreat dauid setted uppen us.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)163 : Þat folc godes word ȝierneliche listede and fastliche hield.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)179 : Hlisteð nu for hwat and o wilche wise.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)185 : Eie ne maig swo muchel biholden, ne [ere] lhisten, ne herte þenchen.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)19/22 : Ða ðe nelleð ðese godes hali wordes hlesten ne healden.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)45/3,5 : And hlesteð hwat ðe hlauerd seið..'Se ðe ȝeuwer rad hlest..he hlest me seluen.'
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)107/14 : Se ðe hire ræd leshten wile.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)109/18 : Hie..his ræd bliðeliche hlisteð and folȝið.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)63/161 : Þe luste nulleð þesne red..scal wurðen ded.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)3/6 : Alle leawede men..lideð & lusteð þe liflade of a meiden.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)46/30 : Hwa-se hit eauer redeð, oðer þene redere bliðeliche lusteð [Roy: lustnið]..wurðe ham alle sone hare sunnen for-ȝeuene.
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)66/564 : Lusteð writen lare ant luuieð þrefter.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)263 : Lust hu ich con me bitelle.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)72/28 : Wolde we nu, leden, lustin ȝure louird.
- ?a1300(a1250) Harrow.H.(Dgb 86)4 : Lesteþ þat ich tellen wille.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)21/337 : Lust [vr. list] whi ihc wonde Bringe þe horn to honde.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)29/473 : Kyng..þu leste [vr. luste] A tale mid þe beste.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1220 : God him bad is wiues tale Listen.
- (a1333) Herebert Cryst (Add 46919)7 : Cryst..Lust what þy volk..to þe byddeth and kalle.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)70/3 : Hit is dreduol and zorȝe to hyere and lheste.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)133/1 : Guode king dauid..lheste ane sergont þet..him missede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16069 : Pilat did men here and list [Frf: herkin & list] Al thing þat þai wald sai.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20590 : Listes [Trin-C: Listou; Göt: Listnes; Frf: Herkenis] þe bon þat scho him badd.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)13708 : Þai gan him list ilk-ane.
- c1400 PPl.C (Vsp B.16)11.65 : Lustene [Hnt: Ich wente..To lithen here laies and here loueliche notes].
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)38 : And þeo wondres of worm and best, Deliciouse hit is to lest.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8574 : Shulenn þeȝȝ þe bett Till þeȝȝre lare lisstenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11027 : Whase wile borrȝhenn beon, He lisste till hiss lare.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)387 : On him hie sulle finden al þat man mai to hleste.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)47/5 : Ȝif ðu woldest..ðarto lhesten.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)67/221 : Gode men, lusteð to me.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)6/28 : Lauerd, lustu [Roy: lust nu] to me.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)546 : Bo wel stille & lust nu tome.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)585 : List ilk lesful [read: lefful] man her to & herof ofte reche.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)15593 : Hii..eoden ner and ȝornliche luste of þes vncouþe tale.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3447 : If ȝe listen lefful to me.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)453 : Garyn..lust to me a wyle.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4002 : Now lysteþ to þis spelle.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1951 : If þou wil list [Frf: listen; Göt: trou] oght to mi red.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13833 : Ne till vr laghes will he noght list.
- a1400-a1500 Rich.(b-version:Brunner)382/23 : Kynge Ric. to his consail luste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2311 : Beseching..of ȝoure goodlyhede..to taken hede, And paciently to my wordes leste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1562 : Besechyng ȝou..Þat ȝe list vn-to his prayer.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2500 : Lestynge of Pirrus þe compleint & þe dool.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)45/74 : Lyst and herke weyll on to me.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)275 : Lik an asse that listeth [vrr. listithe; listneth] on a harpe.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7846 : Himm birrþ lokenn himm þatt he Ne lisste nohht wiþþ ære.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.DD (Lamb 487)41 : Ȝef ȝe lusten wuleð..we eow wulleð suteliche seggen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)863 : Lusteð min cnihtes, lusteð mine leofe men.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10108 : Þe mon þe wule lusten [Otho: hure] hu hit..ilomp.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)141 : Lusteð nu þanne and undernimeð þreo þing.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)41/25-6 : Hlesteð hider, hlesteð hider, ȝe modi menn.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)73/8 : Lihst, ðerof ic ðe wile warnin.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)77/9 : Hlest and folȝih se ðe wile.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)253 : Þos hule luste suþe longe.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1729 : Lusteþ..lateþ me speke.
- a1300(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Jes-O 29)93/188 : Þus queþ Alured, 'Lvsteþ ye, me leode..And ich eu wille lere.'
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)74 : Al is man so is tis ern, wulde ge nu listlen [read: listen].
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.103 : Þat he biddeþ vs lysten bitokneþ þat he monesteþ vs.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)268/5,14 : Zittinde he lhest..Uor ham þet lhesteþ, of echen zay.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1902 : Listeth [vr. Lesteneþ] lordes, in good entent, And I wol telle..Of myrthe.
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)178 : Lewed men, and ȝe wol list..I schal ȝou lere.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1876 : Now lest, my Sone, and I schal seie.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4783 : Childir..yee list [Trin-C: luste] and lete.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.297 : 'Lusteth,' quaþ lucifer.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1543 : Thei gunne for to list..Than herd þei a-nothir voys.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)155/107 : I wyll..with erys lyste..iff any geste on grownde gynnyth glyde.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)218 : Lystynge: adquiescens.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)9 : Hy wylled naght lesste with her ere To lerny wyt.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)7 : A stounde and ye woll lyst be-Dene.