overhear

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)).

• (US) IPA^(key): /oʊ.vɚ.hɪɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

overhear (third-person singular simple present overhears, present participle overhearing, simple past and past participle overheard)

1. (transitive, intransitive) 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.

• eavesdrop

• overhearer