overhear

verbattested in dialogue

United States//oʊ.vɚˈhɪɚ//

To hear something that was not meant for one's ears.

verb

1
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.

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)).

Forms

past tense: overheard
past participle: overheard
present participle: overhearing
third person singular: overhears

overdue · Late; especially, past a deadline or too late to fulfill a…overflowing · overflow overhead · Located above, especially over the head.

overhear · To hear something that was not meant for one's ears.

overlapping · That overlaps something else overload · To load excessively.overlook · A vista or point that gives a view down toward something else.

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