eavesdrop
UK: ˈiːvzdrɒp | US: ˈiːvzdrɑːp
vi. To secretly listen to a conversation without the speakers' knowledge.
n. The act of secretly listening to a private conversation.
The word "eavesdrop" originates from Old English yfesdrype ("water dripping from the eaves of a house"). By the 17th century, it evolved metaphorically to describe someone standing close enough to a building's eaves to hear conversations inside—akin to catching "dropped" words. The modern sense of covert listening emerged from this imagery of stealthily gathering what "falls" from others' speech.
The journalist was accused of eavesdropping on the confidential meeting.
She couldn’t help but eavesdrop when she heard her name mentioned.
Eavesdropping is considered a breach of privacy in most cultures.
The spy used a device to eavesdrop on enemy communications.
It’s rude to eavesdrop on strangers’ conversations in public places.