To eavesdrop is to listen on purpose to other people’s talk when they do not know you are listening — standing close, staying quiet, catching a conversation that was not for you. You eavesdrop on someone, or on a conversation. It is a disapproving word: we use it when the listening is sneaky.

To eavesdropTo eavesdrop is to listen on purpose to other people's talk when they do not know you are listening是故意偷聽別人講話，而對方不知道你在聽: standing close, staying quiet, catching a conversation that was not for you靠得很近、安靜不出聲，聽到一段不是講給你聽的對話. You你 eavesdrop on someone, or on a conversation可以eavesdrop on某個人，或某段對話. It is a disapproving word這是一個帶貶義的字: we use it when the listening is sneaky用在偷偷摸摸的偷聽上

It comes from eaves + drop. Long ago the eavesdrop (or eavesdrip) was the strip of ground where water dropped from the eaves; a person standing there, tight against the house, could hear voices inside. The listening sense grew from that picture.

It它 comes from eaves + drop是eaves加drop組成的. Long ago the eavesdrop (or eavesdrip) was the strip of ground where water dropped from the eaves很久以前，eavesdrop（或eavesdrip）指的是屋簷滴水落下的那條地面: a person standing there, tight against the house, could hear voices inside一個人緊貼著房子站在那裡，就能聽見裡面的聲音. The listening sense偷聽這個意思 grew from that picture就是從這個畫面長出來的

Though actually, today almost nobody thinks of the roof when they say it; they only mean the secret listening. There is a noun too, but the verb is the one learners meet.

Though actually不過其實, today almost nobody thinks of the roof when they say it現在幾乎沒有人講這個字時會想到屋頂; they only mean the secret listening他們只是指偷偷聽這件事. There is a noun too也有名詞形式, but the verb is the one learners meet但學習者遇到的通常是動詞