\Heark"en\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Hearkened}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Hearkening}.] [OE. hercnen, hercnien, AS. hercnian,
heorcnian, fr. hi['e]ran, h?ran, to hear; akin to OD.
harcken, horcken, LG. harken, horken, G. horchen. See {Hear},
and cf. {Hark}.]
1. To listen; to lend the ear; to attend to what is uttered;
   to give heed; to hear, in order to obey or comply.
         The Furies hearken, and their snakes uncurl.
                                               --Dryden.
         Hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the
         judgments, which I teach you.         --Deut. iv. 1.
2. To inquire; to seek information. [Obs.] ``Hearken after
   their offense.'' --Shak.
Syn: To attend; listen; hear; heed. See {Attend}, v. i.

\Heark"en\, v. t.
1. To hear by listening. [Archaic]
         [She] hearkened now and then Some little whispering
         and soft groaning sound.              --Spenser.
2. To give heed to; to hear attentively. [Archaic]
         The King of Naples . . . hearkens my brother's suit.
                                               --Shak.
{To hearken out}, to search out. [Obs.]
         If you find none, you must hearken out a vein and
         buy.                                  --B. Johnson.