Harken: meaning, definitions and examples
๐
harken
[ หhษหr.kษn ]
to listen
To harken means to listen attentively. It is often used in a poetic or archaic sense, urging someone to pay attention or heed something, especially a story or a call.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- Harken to the tales of old.
- Harken, my friends, to the words of wisdom.
- If you harken closely, you can hear the whispers of the past.
Translations
Translations of the word "harken" in other languages:
๐ต๐น ouvir
๐ฎ๐ณ เคธเฅเคจเคจเคพ
๐ฉ๐ช hรถren
๐ฎ๐ฉ mendengar
๐บ๐ฆ ัะปัั ะฐัะธ
๐ต๐ฑ sลuchaฤ
๐ฏ๐ต ่ใ
๐ซ๐ท รฉcouter
๐ช๐ธ escuchar
๐น๐ท duymak
๐ฐ๐ท ๋ฃ๋ค
๐ธ๐ฆ ูุณู ุน
๐จ๐ฟ poslouchat
๐ธ๐ฐ poฤรบvaลฅ
๐จ๐ณ ๅพๅฌ
๐ธ๐ฎ prisluhniti
๐ฎ๐ธ hlusta
๐ฐ๐ฟ ััาฃะดะฐั
๐ฌ๐ช แแแฃแกแแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ eลitmษk
๐ฒ๐ฝ escuchar
Etymology
The word 'harken' is derived from Middle English 'herken,' which comes from Old Norse 'heyrka,' meaning 'to hear.' It has been used since the 14th century, often in the context of urging someone to pay close attention to an important matter or story. The usage of 'harken' has generally been more common in literary and poetic texts, capturing an ancient essence of storytelling and oral tradition. Over time, 'harken' has remained a somewhat archaic term, with its modern equivalents like 'listen' becoming more prevalent in everyday conversation. Despite its decline in casual use, 'harken' retains a kind of charm and gravity, evoking a sense of nostalgia for a time when storytelling was paramount and attention was given to the spoken word.
Word Frequency Rank
Ranking #37,269, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.
- ...
- 37266 minuend
- 37267 discomposure
- 37268 abrade
- 37269 harken
- 37270 grapeshot
- 37271 anaconda
- 37272 palatalized
- ...