Dictionary

overhear en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /oʊ.vɚˈhɪɚ/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English overheren, from Old English oferhīeran (“to overhear, hear, disobey, disregard, neglect”), equivalent to over- + hear. Cognate with Dutch overhoren (“to hear, hear about”), German überhören (“to not hear, ignore”), Danish overhøre (“to overhear”), Icelandic yfirheyra (“to hear”), Gothic *𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (*ufarhausjan, “to disregard, disobey”) (in 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ufarhauseins)).

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive) To hear something that was not meant for one's ears.
   • I was hanging clothes in the garden and I overheard the neighbours talking about Sheila's pregnancy.
   • "It is incomprehensible," replied Sir Fergus, dropping his voice so that the old man could not overhear. 1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

overhearer

Hyponyms

eavesdrop

Translations (31)

ru подслу́шивать (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · sv överhöra (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · hu véletlenülhall (meg) (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · pl podsłuchiwać (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · fi sattua kuulemaan (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · de mitbekommen (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · no overhøre (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · bg дочувам (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · sh načuti (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · vi nghe lén (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · ru подслу́шать (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · da overhøre (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · ast tresoyer (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · eo subaŭskulti (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · de zufällig mit anhören (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · de mitkriegen (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · ru случа́йно услы́шать (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · pl podsłuchać (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · fi kuulla vahingossa (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · pt ouvir por acaso (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · mk наслушнува (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · mk наслушува (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · nl luistervinken (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · sv råka höra (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · sh nasluhnuti (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · de aufschnappen (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · eo hazarde aŭdi (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · pt escutar sem querer (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · it origliare (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · fi kuulla sattumalta (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears) · eo kaŝe aŭdi (to hear something that wasn't meant for one's ears)