Give it a listen in a sentence
Q: On CNN, all the anchors use the expression “take a listen” instead of just “listen” or “listen to this.” Does that sound as caustic to you as it does to me? A: We don’t know about caustic, but it certainly sounds condescending and lame. It’s no doubt the speaker’s way of avoiding “Listen to this.” Let us quote from the entry for this “infantile phrase” in The Dimwit’s Dictionary (2d ed.), by Robert Hartwell Fiske: “As inane as it is insulting, have (take) a listen obviously says nothing that listen alone does not. Journalists and media personalities who use this offensive phrase ought to be silenced; businesspeople, dismissed; public officials, pilloried.” Well, we don’t think it’s as bad as all that, but the phrase is certainly overworked. We just googled “take a listen” and got several million hits (and a great many of them are complaints about the usage). The expression hasn’t made it yet into modern dictionaries, but The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.) and Cambridge Dictionaries Online include examples of somewhat similar usages. Here’s the American Heritage example: “Would you like to give the CD a listen before buying it?” And this is the example from Cambridge Dictionaries: “Have a listen to this!” The word “listen,” by the way, has been used as a noun for about 250 years in expressions like “to be on the listen” or “to have a proper listen.” In fact, the earliest citation in the Oxford English Dictionary for “listen” as a noun dates from the 1300s. In an apparent reference to becoming deaf or hard of hearing, the writer wonders if someone “has losed the lysten.” The OED’s modern examples of the noun usage, in which the word means an act of listening, begin with this citation from the December 1788 issue of The American Museum, a literary journal published in Philadelphia: “Every time the door opens, or a foot is on the stairs, you are on the listen.” (The article, “To the Bachelor,” is signed by “Aspasia,” possibly the pen name of Elizabeth Graeme Ferguson, a Philadelphia writer and intellectual.) Later OED examples include these: “She was often on the watch, and always on the listen” (1884); “constantly on the listen” (1935); “take a listen” and “have a proper listen” (both 1968); “I had a long listen” (1970); and “Give it a listen” (1971). [Note: This post was updated on June 18, 2020.] Help support the Grammarphobia Blog with your donation. 329202 He listened to my pitch, so he must be interested. fcbond 41307 I have no time to listen to such everyday affairs. CM 272065 I would tell you if you would just listen quietly. CM 926862 Listen to your heart, and you will know it's true. bojnin 884402 Mother always cries when she listens to sad songs. alexmarcelo 262503 The music we listened to last night was wonderful. Swift 3006679 Tom wasn't aware that nobody was listening to him. CK 2476757 I kept trying to tell him, but Tom wouldn't listen. arnxy20 2733271 I may not agree with what you say, but I'll listen. CK 393824 I often listen to soothing music in order to relax. blay_paul 301861 In spite of his anger, he listened to me patiently. CM 46484 The girl, closing her eyes, listened to the pastor. CM 272985 The teacher listened attentively to my explanation. CK 50664 Then the pen fell from my hand and I just listened. CK 15937 You never listen. I might as well talk to the wall. Swift 324492 Yumi got up early to listen to the English program. CK 283722 I hope he will see me and listen to my future plans. CM 314611 She would rather listen to others than talk herself. CK 839242 The girl closed her eyes and listened to the pastor. Scott 325831 A good management would listen to reasonable demands. CM 256527 I often spend my leisure time listening to the radio. CK 2799427 I was listening to a really beautiful song yesterday. Cainntear 1891098 I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully. CK 881448 It's useless to talk to her. She won't listen to you. alexmarcelo 26321 We listened to the teacher during the English lesson. NekoKanjya 730627 I like listening to music when I'm not doing anything. cruzedu 2537346 I tried to talk Tom out of it, but he wouldn't listen. CK 255869 I used to sit up late at night listening to the radio. CM 29662 In order to relax, I need to listen to soothing music. CM 2537331 Tom listened for a moment, but couldn't hear anything. CK 246434 You never listen, no matter how many times I tell you. CM 294204 He settled down in his armchair to listen to the music. CK 264401 I listened but couldn't make out what they were saying. CK 1560628 I need some Japanese listening comprehension materials. sirpoot 260388 I've tried reasoning with him but he just won't listen. CK 562076 If you listen closely enough you'll be able to hear it. darinmex 3122072 Haven't you been listening to anything I've been saying? CK 1343905 He often accuses her of never listening to what he says. Chrikaru 255897 I often enjoy listening to classical music after supper. CK 256801 I suggested that we should listen to music for a change. CK 3144545 I'm willing to listen to any suggestions you might have. CK 2537260 Tom knew Mary wouldn't listen to anything he had to say. CK 277638 Unless you listen carefully, you'll be in trouble later. CK 328803 He is not the sort of person who likes to listen to jazz. fcbond 2315292 I don't have time to say this twice, so listen carefully. CK 248421 We listened carefully in order not to miss a single word. CK 3244788 What's important now is that you listen to what Tom says. CK 681267 When the judge speaks, everyone in the courtroom listens. Source_VOA 2955095 You've got to listen a little more carefully from now on. CK 1092960 Tom seems to be unwilling to listen to anything Mary says. CK Meaning What's the meaning of "let's give it a listen?" "His saxophone playing kind of gets on my nervous on that one"
1 also intr to present or deliver voluntarily (something that is one's own) to the permanent possession of another or others
2 often foll by: for to transfer (something that is one's own, esp. money) to the possession of another as part of an exchange
3 to place in the temporary possession of another
4 when intr, foll by: of to grant, provide, or bestow
5 to administer
6 to award or attribute
7 to be a source of
8 to impart or communicate
9 to utter or emit
10 to perform, make, or do
11 to sacrifice or devote
12 to surrender
13 to concede or yield
14 intr
15 often foll by: to to cause; lead
16 foll by: for to value (something) at
17 to perform or present as an entertainment
18 to propose as a toast
19 intr to yield or break under force or pressure
20 ♦ give as good as one gets to respond to verbal or bodily blows to at least an equal extent as those received
21 ♦ give battle to commence fighting
22 ♦ give birth often foll by: to
b to produce, originate, or create (an idea, plan, etc.)
23 ♦ give (a person) five or some skin
24 ♦ give ground to draw back or retreat
25 ♦ give (someone) one (Brit)
26 ♦ give rise to to be the cause of
27 ♦ give me
28 ♦ give or take plus or minus
29 ♦ give way See → way → 24
30 ♦ give (a person) what for
31 a tendency to yield under pressure; resilience
1 mutual concessions, shared benefits, and cooperation
2 a smoothly flowing exchange of ideas and talk
3 to make mutual concessions
1 to donate or bestow as a gift, prize, etc.
3 to reveal or betray (esp. in the phrases give the game or show away)
4 to fail to use (an opportunity) through folly or neglect
5 to present (a bride) formally to her husband in a marriage ceremony
6 (Austral. and N.Z.)
7 a betrayal or disclosure of information, esp. when unintentional
8 (Chiefly U.S. and Canadian) something given, esp. with articles on sale, at little or no charge to increase sales, attract publicity, etc.
9 (Journalism) another name for → freesheet
10 (Chiefly U.S. and Canadian) a radio or television programme characterized by the award of money and prizes
a very cheap (esp. in the phrase giveaway prices)
b free of charge
1 intr to yield; admit defeat
2 tr to submit or deliver (a document) give off give onto
1 tr to emit or discharge
2 tr to publish or make known
3 tr to hand out or distribute
4 intr to become exhausted; fail
5 intr; foll by: to (Irish)
6 tr (Cricket) (of an umpire) to declare (a batsman) dismissed
1 tr to transfer, esp. to the care or custody of another
2 tr to assign or resign to a specific purpose or function
3 Informal to cease (an activity)
2 tr to renounce (an activity, belief, etc.)
3 tr to relinquish or resign from
4 tr; usually reflexive to surrender
5 tr to reveal or disclose (information)
6 intr to admit one's defeat or inability to do something
7 tr; often passive or reflexive to devote completely (to)
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