pay attention (to somebody/something)
to watch, listen to, or think about someone or something carefully

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

listen to pay attention to what someone is saying or to a sound that you hear:
I didn’t hear the answer, because I wasn’t listening when she read it out.
He listened carefully to every word I said.
pay attention to listen carefully to what someone is saying:
I nodded to show I was paying attention.
She was tired and wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying.
eavesdrop to secretly listen to someone else’s conversation by standing near them, hiding behind a door etc:
I caught him eavesdropping on our conversation.
They spoke in quiet voices which made it hard to eavesdrop.
overhear to hear someone say something, especially accidentally:
I overheard him say something about wanting to move house.
Excuse me! I couldn’t help overhearing that you were planning a trip to Thailand.
tune in (to something) to listen to a radio programme, or to someone using a radio transmitter:
Over a million people tune in to the programme each week.
Tune in at the same time next week for the next episode.
The equipment could be used by criminals to tune in to police broadcasts.
tap to connect a piece of electronic recording equipment to a telephone system so that you can listen to people’s telephone conversations:
The police had tapped the phones of all three suspects.
The President had to resign over an illegal phone-tapping operation.
bug to hide a small piece of electronic recording equipment in someone’s room, car, office etc in order to listen secretly to what is said there:
Security agents bugged their offices and managed to get some evidence against them.
Wells was convinced the house was bugged and insisted on playing loud music while we talked.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

pay attention to carefully listen to, look at, or think about something or someone:
She told the class to stop talking and pay attention.
In any relationship, it helps to pay attention to each other’s needs.
concentrate to think carefully about something that you are doing and not let other things disturb your thoughts:
I tried to read a few pages, but I was too upset to concentrate.
Children need their own quiet space where they can concentrate on their homework.
keep your mind on something to continue to pay attention to something, especially when you are very excited or worried about something else:
On Friday, the day of the party, I had a dreadful time keeping my mind on my work.
Good football players keep their minds on the game at all times.
keep your eyes on something to keep watching something carefully, so that you do not make any mistakes:
The first rule of driving is to keep your eyes on the road.
Keep your eyes on the ball – now swing!
be engrossed in something to be paying so much attention to a book, a conversation, some work etc, that you do not notice what is happening around you:
Helen was sitting up in bed, engrossed in a novel.
He was so engrossed in what he was doing he didn’t even hear the doorbell ring.
be absorbed in something to be giving all your attention to something, especially something you are reading, watching, or thinking about:
The little boy sat at the edge of the pond, totally absorbed in watching the fish.
He was a quiet man who often seemed to be absorbed in his own thoughts.
Matilda was curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
give something/somebody your undivided attention to give all your attention to something or someone and not do anything else – used especially when this is something you want or need to do:
Come round when the kids are in bed so I can give you my undivided attention.
Once I’ve finished my exams, I’ll be able to give my undivided attention to looking for a job.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

pay attention
v. phr. To listen to someone; hear and understand someone alertly.
"Pay attention, children!" the teacher cried, "Here is your homework for next week!"

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲