Obs. Forms: 1 hlyst, 2–4 lust(e, 3–4 list(e, lyst, 4 lest, 4–6 list. [OE. hlyst masc. and fem. = OS. hlust fem., ON. hlust fem.:—OTeut. *hlusti-z:-OAryan *klusti-s (Skr. çrušti obedience), f. root *klus- (: kleus- : klous-), OTeut. *hlŭs- (: hleus- : hlaus-), found also in the vbs. OE. hlosnian, OHG. losên (MHG. losen), OHG. lûstrên (mod.Ger. dial. laustern: cf. G. lüstern, Sw. lystra, Da. lystre to ‘answer’ to a name, ‘answer’ the helm), MHG. lûschen (mod.G. lauschen), MHG. lusemen, lüsenen, all meaning ‘to listen’; also, outside Teut., in OSl. slyšati to hear, sluχŭ hearing, Lith. klausà obedience, klausýti to hear, Zend çraosānē to hear, Welsh clûst, Irish clúas fem., ear (:—OCeltic *kloustā). The root OAryan *klus- : kleus- : klous- (Teut. *hlŭs- : hleus- : hlous-) is an extended form of *klu- (Teut. *hlŭ-): see LOUD a.]
1. Hearing; the sense of hearing. To have or give a list: to give ear, be attentive, keep silence.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 550. Ða fif andʓitu ure lichaman, ðæt is ʓesihþ and hlyst, swæcc and stenc and hrepung.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 40. Gif [mon] yfelne hlyst hæbbe.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 75. Hore lust hore loking hore blawing hore smelling heore feling wes al iattret.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 61. Gif he binimeð us ure sihte oðer ure liste.
c. 1205. Lay., 11577. Mi fader Caredoc makede lust & þus spæc.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13708. All þai gaf him list ilkan.
c. 1330. Assump. Virg. (B.M. MS.), 2. Sitteþ stille & haueþ lyst.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. xxi. (1495), 238. Thyckenes of luste and of herynge.
a. 1400. Octouian, 60. Fele of hem casted a cry … That noon of hem that sytte hym by May haue no lest.
2. The ear. (But cf. LIST sb.3 1 b.)
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1900. With ys hond a wolde þe ȝyue a such on on þe luste þat al þy breyn scholde clyue al aboute ys fuste.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 634. He smoot me ones on the list.
a. 1535. More, Howe a Sergeant would learne to play the frere, Wks. ¶ ij b. And with his fist, Upon the lyst, He gaue hym such a blow, That [etc.].
