hark

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 hīeran, whence English hear). Equivalent to hear + -k. Cognate with Scots herk (“to hark”), North Frisian harke (“to hark”), West Frisian harkje (“to listen”), obsolete Dutch horken (“to hark, listen to”), Middle Low German horken (“to hark”), German horchen (“to hark, harken to”).

verb

1. (archaic, often imperative) To listen attentively.
   Hark! the herald angels sing / Glory to the new born King 1739, Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, “Hymn for Christmas-Day”, in Hymns and Sacred Poems
   Hark! The thunder becomes less muttering. It is nearing us, and nearing the earth, too. Hark! One crammed crash! All the vibrations made one by nearness. Another flash. Hold. 1856, Herman Melville, The Lightning Rod Man
   Loud voices and a renewed uproar were raised in front of the boarding-house[…] "'Tis Missis Murphy's voice," said Mrs. McCaskey, harking. 1906, O. Henry, “Between Rounds”, in The Four Million
   Hark! The Herald Tribune sings, / Advertising wondrous things! 1959, Tom Lehrer (lyrics and music), “A Christmas Carol”

noun

1. (Scots) A whisper