listen in


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.
Related to listen in: use, tenacity, didn't, imminent

lis·ten

(lĭs′ən)
intr.v. lis·tened, lis·ten·ing, lis·tens
1. To make an effort to hear something: listen to the radio; listen for the bell that ends class.
2. To pay attention; heed: "She encouraged me to listen carefully to what country people called mother wit" (Maya Angelou).
n.
An act of listening: Would you like to give the CD a listen before buying it?
Phrasal Verb:
listen in
1. To listen to a conversation between others; eavesdrop.
2. To tune in and listen to a broadcast.
Idiom:
listen up
Used as command to get a group or individual to pay attention: Listen up, everyone—we have to evacuate!
[Middle English listenen, alteration (influenced by listen, to list, listen; see list4) of Old English hlysnan; see kleu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
lis′ten·er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

listen in

vb
1. to listen to the radio
2. (Communications & Information) to intercept radio communications
3. to listen but not contribute (to a discussion), esp surreptitiously
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Verb1.listen in - listen quietly, without contributing to the conversation
listen - hear with intention; "Listen to the sound of this cello"
2.listen in - listen without the speaker's knowledge; "the jealous man was eavesdropping on his wife's conversations"
eavesdrop
listen - hear with intention; "Listen to the sound of this cello"
wiretap, bug, intercept, tap - tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information; "The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy"; "Is this hotel room bugged?"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

w>listen in

vi → (im Radio) hören (→ to sth etw acc); (= listen secretly) → mithören (→ on sth etw acc); I’d like to listen in on or to your discussion → ich möchte mir Ihre Diskussion mit anhören
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
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