- pronunciation:
- ivz
drap
- features:
- Word History
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
eavesdrops, eavesdropping, eavesdropped |
| definition: |
to listen to other people talk without letting them know.
I eavesdropped from behind the door and heard what she said about me.- similar words:
- overhear, snoop, spy
|
| 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.