Also 7–8 listner. [f. LISTEN v. + -ER1.]
1. One who listens; an attentive hearer.
1611. Cotgr., Escouteur, an hearer, hearkener, listener.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Maxims St. (1651), 45. To have their Beagles, or listeners in every corner … of the Realm.
1643. True Informer, 8. They are great listners after any Court news.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, clxx. (1708), 184. ’Tis an Old Saying, That List’ners never hear Well of Themselves.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 31, ¶ 1. This gentleman … was entertaining a whole Table of Listners with the project of an Opera.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xxi. IV. 592. The streets were stopped up all day by groups of talkers and listeners.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 4. The youthful group of listeners … are … at last convinced by the arguments of Socrates.
b. slang. The ear.
1821. Sporting Mag., VII. 274. Sampson was floored from a tremendous wisty-castor, under the listener.
1822. Blackw. Mag., XI. 594. A douss on the smeller—a dimmer to the daylights, and a larrup, on the listeners.
1827. Egan, Anecd. Turf, 6. Hooper planted another hit under Wood’s listner.
2. Fortif. = Listening-gallery (see next b).
1828. J. M. Spearman, Brit. Gunner (ed. 2), 302. From the envelope gallery are run out … galleries in directions parallel to the capitals of the works…. These latter are called listeners.
1833. Straith, Fortif., § 213. 161. The distance between the listeners depends … on the nature of the soil that conveys the sound.
