eavesdrop

Definition

To hear (intentionally) a conversation one is not intended to hear; to listen in.

Etymology

From eaves + drop; the "listening" sense derives from the notion of the listener standing in the area denoted by the physical sense.

Example Sentences

• "I hope nobody was eavesdropping on our conversation last night, since it got so personal."
• "[…] Eastern Red Bat will eavesdrop on the sonar calls of other red bats to locate potential insect prey."
• "Frog-biting midges also depend on eavesdropping for reproduction, and one would predict similarly strong selection to evolve auditory adaptations for hearing and localizing calls of their hosts."

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