Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HEARKEN, v. Also harken, herken, hairken (Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 266). Sc. usages:

1. Absol. or with tae: to eavesdrop, to play the eavesdropper (ne.Sc., Ags., Fif., m.Lth., Ayr. 1956). Now obs. in Eng. exc. dial.; to overhear. Hence hearkener, an eavesdropper.Lnk. 1884 J. Nicholson Willie Waugh 170:
There's truth in the auld sayin . . . that “hearkeners but seldom hear a guid word o' themsel's.”Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums i.:
Do you think I'm to lie here on the braid o' my back . . . and hearken to thae cutty queans?Abd.⁷ 1925:
Those who are mean enough to listen at their neighbours' doors or windows are called “harkeners,” and it is said of them . . . “harkeners sid be hangit.”Abd. 1928 Abd. Wkly. Jnl. (13 Dec.) 6:
Weesht, man, ye never ken fa's at the winnock harkenin' tae fat we say.

2. tr. To whisper (something) (Abd. 1825 Jam.; I.Sc., Cai., ne.Sc. 1956); with (in)tae, to whisper to a person (Id.); to prompt secretly (Abd. 1825 Jam.). Cf. Hark.Sc. 1881 A. Mackie Scotticisms 39:
I hearkened to my sister to come away.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 101:
“Gude-nicht, my ain bonnie lassie,” Jeems harken'd in till her.Edb. 1896 J. Tweeddale Moff 34:
For as Willie Gair . . . harkened in to Sandy Corve.Cai., Abd. 1902 E.D.D.:
He hearken't it intae my lug.

3. tr. with double object. To hear someone repeat lessons, etc. (Cai., ne.Sc., Ags., wm.Sc., Gall. 1956).Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie I. iii.:
“Will ye hearken me?” said Andrew; and she took the book, and bade him begin.Ayr. 1889 H. Johnston Glenbuckie 245:
After dinner the mistress sent the laddie, her son, “ben the house” to learn his “questions,” and ordered Nanny to hearken him the two double verses of the Psalm.Rxb. 1924 Kelso Chron. (20 June) 2:
When hearkening the boys on the shorter catechism.Dmb. 1932 A. J. Cronin Three Loves ii. xx.:
Before examinations, she would hearken him his work.

Hence hearkener, one who hears a lesson repeated.Rnf. 1876 D. Gilmour Paisley Weavers 31:
Thomas, with military regularity, assumed the duty of “hearkener.”

4. tr. To listen to, to hear with attention (Cai., ne.Sc., Ags., Per., Ayr., Uls. 1956). Now only poet. or dial. in Eng.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 3:
Sae I begins, my pen into my hand, Just ready hearkning, as she should command.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 40:
Thrice round his head he waved a wand, Cries Belzebub! thou prince of darkness! Come up, come up, I ken ye hearken us.Abd. 1861 J. Davidson Poems 37:
At kirk on Sunday we maun hearken sleepy stuff.

Hence hearkning, news, something to listen to. Cf. Hearing, 3.Abd. 1778 A. Ross Helenore 22:
For he's nae boss, six score o' lambs this year, That's hearkning gueed, the match is feer for feer.

5. Of weather, esp. the wind: see 1841 quot. Phr. a hearkenin win, a low, whispering wind (Abd. 1956). Cf. 2.Fif. 1841 C. Gray Lays and Lyrics 269:
The wind is said to hearken when it pauses between the blasts.Abd. 1959 People's Jnl. (26 Dec.):
It's a gran' mornin' onywey, mild an' quait for a cheenge, bit aul' fowk wid ca't it a "harkenin' mornin'," bodin' coorse widder tae come.