harkening

verb (used with or without object)

1. hearken.

verb (used without object)

1. Literary. to give heed or attention to what is said; listen.

verb (used with object)

2. Archaic. to listen to; hear.

verb

1. a variant spelling (esp US) of hearken

verb

1. archaic to listen to (something)

variant of hearken.

v.

Old English heorcnian, a suffixed form of *heorcian, root of hark; from Proto-Germanic *hausjan (see hear). Harken is the usual spelling in U.S. and probably is better justified by etymology; hearken likely is from influence of hear.