hearken back

== English == === Etymology === From hearken + back, possibly an erroneous substitution of hearken (“to hear (something) with attention; to have regard to (something); to listen; to attend or give heed to what is uttered; to hear with attention, compliance, or obedience”) for hark: see the usage note. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌhɑːk(ə)n ˈbæk/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌhɑɹkən ˈbæk/ Hyphenation: heark‧en back === Verb === hearken back (third-person singular simple present hearkens back, present participle hearkening back, simple past and past participle hearkened back) (sometimes proscribed) Synonym of hark back (“to allude, return, or revert (to a subject previously mentioned, etc.); also, to evoke, or long or pine for (a past era or event)”). ==== Usage notes ==== The term hark back originates from a hunting command to hounds to listen and go back. Thus, some people regard the substitution of hark with hearken to be incorrect. ==== Alternative forms ==== harken back === References ===