eavesdrop
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++eaves·drop /ˈiːvzdrɒp $ -drɑːp/ verb (eavesdropped, eavesdropping) [intransitive] LISTENto deliberately listen secretly to other people’s conversations 偷听，窃听 → overhear There was Helena eavesdropping outside the door. 海伦娜当时在门外偷听。 —eavesdropper noun [countable]→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
eavesdrop• She wanted to ask what the Leighs were talking about, but did not want him to think she had eavesdropped.• In most cases, it is difficult to detect that some one is eavesdropping.• Then the baboon came home and I eavesdropped anxiously and she told him.• Caroline felt riveted to the floor, motionless, unwilling to consciously eavesdrop but tense with curiosity.• How did you know I was going? You've been eavesdropping, haven't you!• Most shocking was the charge that Morris had allowed her to eavesdrop on conversations with the White House.• I caught him eavesdropping on our conversation.• Sue was able to eavesdrop on them through the open window.• He and his assistants hung around shopping malls and city streets, eavesdropping on whoops and hoots.• Can he eavesdrop through a card, Jaq?• Hackers can eavesdrop using software that monitors packets sent over the network.Origin eavesdrop (1600-1700) eavesdropper “someone who stands close to a wall, where rainwater drops from the eaves, in order to listen secretly”eaves·drop verbChineseSyllable
deliberately to secretly people’s other to Corpus listen conversations
eavesdrop
eaves‧drop /ˈiːvzdrɒp $ -drɑːp/
verb (past tense and past participle eavesdropped, present participle eavesdropping) [intransitive]
There was Helena eavesdropping outside the door.
—eavesdropper noun [countable]
▪ 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.
eaves‧drop /ˈiːvzdrɒp $ -drɑːp/
verb (past tense and past participle eavesdropped, present participle eavesdropping) [intransitive] Date: 1600-1700
Origin: eavesdropper 'someone who stands close to a wall, where rainwater drops from the eaves, in order to listen secretly'
to deliberately listen secretly to other people’s conversations ⇨ overhear:Origin: eavesdropper 'someone who stands close to a wall, where rainwater drops from the eaves, in order to listen secretly'
—eavesdropper noun [countable]
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