Dictionary

listening en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɪs.ə.nɪŋ/
• (US) audio
• /ˈlɪs.nɪŋ/

Etymology

From Middle English listnynge, lustninde, from Old English hlysnende, equivalent to listen + -ing.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Of something or someone that listens.
   • Any listening person can tell she's lying.
2. (not-comparable) Of something that is used in order to hear or to improve the ability to hear.
   • He could hear better when he used his listening device.
3. (not-comparable) Of an action that is performed with caution and attention to sounds.
   • The safest cover lay close under the wall of the cañon, and here through the dense thickets Venters made his slow, listening advance toward the oval. 1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter 5, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC:

Deriveds

must-listening

Translations (3)

fi kuulo- (of something that is used in order to hear) · fi kuunteleva (of something that listens) · fi varovainen (of an action that is performed with caution and attention to sounds)

listening en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɪs.ə.nɪŋ/
• (US) audio
• /ˈlɪs.nɪŋ/

Etymology

From Middle English listnynge, lustninde, from Old English hlysnende, equivalent to listen + -ing.

Meanings

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present) present participle and gerund of listen
   form of listen
   • It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

listening en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɪs.ə.nɪŋ/
• (US) audio
• /ˈlɪs.nɪŋ/

Etymology

From Middle English listnynge, lustnynge, lystenynge, equivalent to listen + -ing.

Meanings

1. An act by which something or somebody is listened to.
   • This symphony grows on me more and more with each listening.
   • It is an album that rewards multiple listenings. 2010 May 3, Michael Senior, “CD Review: Massive Attack, "Heligoland"”, in The Oklahoman, archived from the original on 03 Jan 2024:
2. An educational exercise involving listening.
   • OK, students, today we're going to do a couple of listenings about the environment, then a reading about crime.
3. Skill or ability of perceiving spoken language.
   • You can improve your listening well by watching English-language films.

Forms

Deriveds

baby listening · listening fatigue · listening bar · listening comprehension · listening device · listening post · listening watch · social listening · listening station · active listening · easy listening

Translations (32)

be слу́ханьне (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · fr écoute (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · be праслу́хванне (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ko 청취 (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ar اِسْتِمَاع (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ru слу́шание (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · grc ἀκρόασις (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · nl luisteren (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ja リスニング (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ru прослу́шивание (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · uk прослухо́вування (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · fi kuullun ymmärtäminen (ability of perceiving spoken language) · id kemampuan mendengar (ability of perceiving spoken language) · id kemampuan menyimak (ability of perceiving spoken language) · es escucha (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · fi kuuntelu (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ja 聴取 (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · nn lytting (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ja 聞くこと (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · nb lytting (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · be праслухо́ўваньне (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · uk слу́хання (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ru ауди́рование (ability of perceiving spoken language) · nl luisteren (ability of perceiving spoken language) · be праслухо́ўванне (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · la auditus (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · be слу́ханне (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · cmn 聆聽 /聆听 (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · de Zuhören (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · ko 듣기 (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · be праслу́хваньне (act by which something or somebody is listened to) · es escucha (ability of perceiving spoken language)