hark — to listen carefully
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to listen carefully
Pronunciation (IPA): /hɑːrk/
Example Sentences
- The teacher said 'Hark! Do you hear that? It's the sound of my patience running out!'
- Hark back to your childhood memories of summer vacations.
- The old poem begins with 'Hark! The herald angels sing!'
hark
VERB[/hɑːrk/]
to listen carefully
Hark! The night watchman calls the villagers to listen to urgent news.
Hark to the bark in the dark!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Old English 'heorcian', meaning 'to listen' or 'to hear'. The word was used as a formal expression in medieval courts when attending to a king's commands, reflecting its elevated status in hierarchical contexts.
Breakdown
Old English 'heorcian' (to listen, to hear) → Middle English 'harken' → Modern English 'hark'. The root likely derives from proto-Germanic '*harkōn', related to perception and auditory attention.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The teacher said 'Hark! Do you hear that? It's the sound of my patience running out!'”
“Hark back to your childhood memories of summer vacations.”
“The old poem begins with 'Hark! The herald angels sing!'”
“Mom always says 'Hark at you, acting like you know everything!'”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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