Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - listen

~1 v 1 to pay attention to what someone is saying or to a sound that you can hear  (listening to music | Listen! There's a strange noise in the engine.)  (I like listening to the radio.) listen hard (=try to hear something that is very quiet) | listen intently (=very carefully and with interest) 2 spoken used to tell someone to pay attention to what you are about to say  (Listen, I'm sure we can work this out, if everybody calms down.) 3 to consider carefully what someone says to you  (I told him not to go, but he just wouldn't listen.)  (I wish I'd listened to your advice.) listen for sb/sth phr v to pay attention so that you are sure you will hear a sound  (Listen for the moment when the music changes.) listen in phr v 1 to listen to a broadcast on the radio  (I must remember to listen in to the news at noon.)  (- see also tune in tune2) 2 to listen to someone's conversation without them knowing it + on  (It sounded like someone was listening in on the extension.) listen out phr v BrE informal to listen carefully, especially for an unexpected sound  (listen out for)  (Listen out for the baby in case she wakes up.) listen up phr v especially AmE spoken used to get people's attention so they can hear what you are going to say  (Hey everybody, listen up!)  ( USAGE NOTE: LISTEN GRAMMAR Remember you can only listen to (or sometimes for) something He's listening to music (NOT He's listening music). ~2 n BrE informal an act of listening Have a listen to this new album! )