If you overhear something, other people’s words reach your ears by accident. They did not mean you to hear, and you did not set out to listen.

If you overhear something如果你overhear到某件事, other people's words別人講的話 reach your ears by accident會不小心傳進你耳朵裡。They他們 did not mean you to hear並不是故意要讓你聽到, and you did not set out to listen你也不是刻意去聽的

You are on a bus, two seats back, and a name floats over — you overheard it. You overhear a conversation, a remark, someone saying a thing. Past: overheard.

You are on a bus你人在公車上, two seats back隔兩排座位, and a name floats over一個名字飄了過來 — you overheard it你就這樣overhear到了。You overhear你會overhear到 a conversation, a remark, someone saying a thing一段對話、一句話，或某人說的一件事。Past過去式是: overheardoverheard

This is not the same as eavesdrop, which is when you try to listen in. Overhear is the accidental one, and it is not rude by itself.

This這 is not the same as eavesdrop跟eavesdrop不一樣, which is when you try to listen ineavesdrop是你刻意想偷聽。Overhearoverhear is the accidental one才是無意間聽到的那種, and it is not rude by itself而且它本身並不算沒禮貌

Though actually, the old English word could also mean “hear but not obey,” and the German cousin überhören often means you failed to hear, or you ignored it. English kept the “heard it by chance” meaning.

Though actually不過事實上, the old English word古英語裡的這個字 could also mean “hear but not obey,”也可以指「聽到卻不聽從」, and the German cousin而德語裡的近親字 überhörenüberhören often means常常指 you failed to hear你沒聽到, or you ignored it或是你故意不理會。English英文 kept the “heard it by chance” meaning保留了「碰巧聽到」這個意思