Overhear vs Listen - What's the difference?
overhear | listen |
To hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears.
(lb) To pay attention to a sound or speech.
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*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
, chapter=1 (lb) To expect or wait for a sound, such as a signal.
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*:It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street.. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.
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*:He reined Wrangle to a walk, halted now and then to listen , and then proceeded cautiously with shifting and alert gaze.
(lb) To accept advice or obey instruction; to agree or assent.
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*:Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest.
To hear (something or someone), to pay attention to.
*1485 , Sir (Thomas Malory), (w, Le Morte d'Arthur) , Book XX:
*:‘But, sir, lyars ye have lystened , and that hath caused grete debate betwyxte you and me.’
*1592 , (William Shakespeare), : v 3
*:Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.
As a verb overhear
is to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears.As a noun listen is
.overhear
English
Verb
Derived terms
* overhearerlisten
English
Verb
(en verb)citation, passage=He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.}}