# listen up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/listen-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To listen closely; to pay attention.

## Examples

- Listen up, I have an important announcement.
- The coach told the team to listen up before they started the final play.
- The professor paused to ensure the students would listen up, as the upcoming lecture contained the most critical information for the final exam.

## Origin

From *listen* + *up*, the phrase first appears c. 1933, though the exact date of its first use remains uncertain. The construction combines the verb with a particle to command attention, a functional addition to the lexicon that is recorded as having arrived in the early twentieth century. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.