Archaic To listen attentively; give heed. Phrasal Verb: hearken back. Usage Problem To hark back.

What does it mean to hark back?

1 : to return to or remember (something in the past) He always harks back to the good old days of his youth. 2 : to look or seem like (something in the past) The movie has a style that harks back to the golden age of Hollywood.

Is it hark back or harken back?

In the early 20th century, English speakers began using "hearken back" and its variant "harken back" synonymously with the verb "hark back." (Like "hark," "hearken" and "harken" can mean "listen.") And since the 1980s, there's been another development: "harken" can now be used alone to mean "hark back."