hark

Alternative forms

• heark (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English herken, herkien, from Old English *hercian, *heorcian, *hiercian, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hauzijaną (“to hear”) + formative/intensive -k (see also the related hȳran, whence English hear). Cognate with Scots herk (“to hark”), North Frisian harke (“to hark”), West Frisian harkje (“to listen”), obsolete Dutch horken (“to hark, listen to -> horen”), Middle Low German horken (“to hark”), German horchen (“to hark, harken to”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: härk, IPA^(key): /hɑː(ɹ)k/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)k

Verb

hark (third-person singular simple present harks, present participle harking, simple past and past participle harked)

1. To listen attentively; often used in the imperative.
   • 1739, “Hymn for Christmas-Day”, Hymns and Sacred Poems, Charles Wesley and George Whitefield:

     Hark! the herald angels sing

     “Glory to the new born King,

   • 1906: O. Henry, The Four Million

     Loud voices and a renewed uproar were raised in front of the boarding-house..."'Tis Missis Murphy's voice," said Mrs. McCaskey, harking.

   • 1959: Tom Lehrer, A Christmas Carol

     "Hark! The Herald Tribune sings, / Advertising wondrous things!"

Etymology

From Latin arcus.

Noun

hark m

1. bow
2. arch

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɑrk

• audio

  (file)

Etymology 1

Etymology 2

See etymology on the main entry.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /har̥k/
• Rhymes: -ar̥k

Noun

hark n (genitive singular harks, no plural)

1. noise, tumult, commotion, din

Etymology

From Old Norse harka, harðka (“strength of body and mind”), from harðr (“hard”) ( > Westrobothnian hahl) + -ka.

Noun

hark f (definite harka)

1. excellence

   hä var harka dell kar

   that's an excellent man