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Eavesdropped: meaning, definitions and examples

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eavesdropped

 

[ ˈiːvzdrɒpt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

secret listening

Eavesdropped refers to the act of secretly listening to a conversation without the participants' knowledge. This is typically done to gain information that is meant to be private or confidential.

Synonyms

listen in, overhear, snoop

Examples of usage

  • She eavesdropped on their conversation in the café.
  • He was caught eavesdropping on a private meeting.
  • They eavesdropped through the door to hear the surprise plans.

Translations

Translations of the word "eavesdropped" in other languages:

🇵🇹 escutado

🇮🇳 चोरी से सुना

🇩🇪 abgehört

🇮🇩 mendengarkan secara diam-diam

🇺🇦 підслухав

🇵🇱 podsłuchiwany

🇯🇵 盗み聞きした

🇫🇷 écouté à l'insu

🇪🇸 escuchado

🇹🇷 dinlenmiş

🇰🇷 엿들었다

🇸🇦 استمع خلسة

🇨🇿 odposlouchán

🇸🇰 odpočúvaný

🇨🇳 窃听了

🇸🇮 prisluškovan

🇮🇸 hlustað

🇰🇿 тыңдалды

🇬🇪 მოსმენილი

🇦🇿 dinlənilib

🇲🇽 escuchado

Word origin

The word 'eavesdrop' has its origins in the Old English term 'of eavesdrip,' which literally referred to the water dripping from the eaves of a house. This term evolved to describe the practice of standing under the eaves of a building to secretly listen to conversations happening inside. The 'eaves' part refers to the overhanging edges of a roof, while 'drop' represents the dripping of water. Over time, eavesdropping became associated specifically with the act of listening in on conversations covertly. The term has maintained its meaning and usage into modern English, reflecting the age-old human interest in overhearing private matters, which can be both a source of information and a violation of privacy.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,847, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.