- (intransitive) to listen secretly to the private conversation of others
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
eaves•drop /ˈivzˌdrɑp/USA pronunciation
v. [no object], -dropped, -drop•ping.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to listen secretly:I didn't intend to eavesdrop, but I could hear them arguing.
eaves•drop
(ēvz′drop′),USA pronunciation v., -dropped, -drop•ping, n.
v.i.
v.t.
n. Also, eaves•drip
eaves′drop′per, n.
v.i.
- to listen secretly to a private conversation.
v.t.
- [Archaic.]to eavesdrop on.
n. Also, eaves•drip
- (ēvz′drip′).USA pronunciation
- water that drips from the eaves.
- the ground on which such water falls.
- bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English evesdrope, evesdripe, Old English yfesdrype; as verb, verbal, probably back formation from eavesdropper, late Middle English evisdroppyr, apparently literally, one who stands on the eavesdrop in order to listen to conversations inside the house; see eave, drop, drip
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
eavesdrop /ˈiːvzˌdrɒp/ vb ( -drops, -dropping, -dropped)
'eavesdropping' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):