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Eavesdrop vs Eavesdropping - What's the difference?

eavesdrop | eavesdropping |

As verbs the difference between eavesdrop and eavesdropping

is that eavesdrop is (senseid)to hear a conversation one is not intended to hear; to listen in while eavesdropping is .

As nouns the difference between eavesdrop and eavesdropping

is that eavesdrop is the dripping of rain from the eaves of a house while eavesdropping is listening secretly to private conversation of others.

eavesdrop

English

Verb

(eavesdropp)
  • (senseid)To hear a conversation one is not intended to hear; to listen in.
    • I hope nobody was eavesdropping on our conversation last night, since it got so personal.

    Usage notes

    To eavesdrop usually implies the listener is purposefully trying to hear the conversation of others. To (overhear) is more often accidental.

    Synonyms

    * (hear conversation one is not intended to hear) overhear

    Derived terms

    * eavesdropper

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The dripping of rain from the eaves of a house
  • The space around a house on which such water drips
  • A concealed aperture through which an occupant of a building can surreptitiously listen to people talking at an entrance to the building
  • The act of intentionally hearing a conversation not intended to be heard

    • Synonyms

    * eavesdrip

    eavesdropping

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (wikipedia eavesdropping) (en noun)
  • Listening secretly to private conversation of others.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1928, author=Lawrence R. Bourne
    • , title=Well Tackled! , chapter=7 citation , passage=The detective kept them in view. He made his way casually along the inside of the shelter until he reached an open scuttle close to where the two men were standing talking. Eavesdropping was not a thing Larard would have practised from choice, but there were times when, in the public interest, he had to do it, and this was one of them.}}
  • (telecoms ) The interception of electronic communication.