- pronunciation:
- ivz
drap
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb), Word History
| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| inflections: |
eavesdrops, eavesdropping, eavesdropped |
| definition: |
to listen secretly to others' private conversation.
- synonyms:
- listen in
- similar words:
- overhear, snoop, spy, wiretap
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| derivation: |
eavesdropper (n.) |
Eavesdrop comes from an Old English word that means "the area around a house where water drops from the eaves (the lower part of the roof)." A person who stands in such a spot is close enough to the house to listen to what is being said inside.