Word · Frequency #19789
eavesdrop
偷听
listen secretly to a private conversation without the speaker's knowledge
- 1.
To hear (intentionally) a conversation one is not intended to hear; to listen in.
故意偷听本不应听到的谈话；窃听
- 2.
To listen for another organism's calls, so as to exploit them.
窃听其他生物的叫声以加以利用
故意偷听本不应听到的谈话；窃听；窃听其他生物的叫声以加以利用
In use
Please don't eavesdrop on other people's private conversations.
She eavesdropped on her neighbors' argument from the balcony.
I think someone is eavesdropping on us through the wall.
eavesdrop on sth
eavesdrop 是不及物动词，后接听的对象时用 on；它本身已含“偷偷”之意，通常不必再加 secretly。
She eavesdropped on their phone conversation.
她偷听了他们的电话交谈。
eavesdrop on sb doing sth
此结构表示偷听到某人正在做某事，on 后接人，再接现在分词；现在分词不可改为动词原形。
He eavesdropped on his parents discussing his future.
他偷听到父母在讨论他的未来。
Verb forms
base eavesdrop · third person eavesdrops · -ing eavesdropping · past eavesdropped · past participle eavesdropped
规则动词；常用于表示暗中偷听他人谈话。
Connections
Collocations
- eavesdrop on a conversation
- 偷听谈话
- She tried to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two managers.她试图偷听两位经理之间的谈话。
- eavesdrop on someone
- 偷听某人说话
- He was caught eavesdropping on his sister.他被发现偷听妹妹说话。
- eavesdrop on a phone call
- 偷听电话
- It is illegal to eavesdrop on a phone call without permission.未经允许偷听电话是违法的。
- eavesdrop on a private conversation
- 偷听私人谈话
- They used a hidden device to eavesdrop on private conversations.他们用隐藏的设备偷听私人谈话。
- eavesdrop on the neighbors
- 偷听邻居的动静
- The old man liked to eavesdrop on the neighbors from his balcony.那位老人喜欢从阳台上偷听邻居的动静。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
记忆联想：eaves（屋檐）+drop（滴落）→ 想象躲在屋檐下偷听，水滴差点暴露你。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：private conversation、phone call、meeting eavesdrop 作动词时属于中性表达，通常用于指有意偷听他人私下谈话，多用于日常口语和叙述，正式文件中较少见。
Pronunciation & Spelling
eaves /iːvz/ 与 eavesdrop 的词首音节完全相同；leaves /liːvz/ 与 eaves 同韵。drop /drɒp/ 是 eavesdrop 的最后一个音节，但该音节在单词中不重读；crop、stop 与 drop 同韵。整个单词重音在第一个音节，因此这些词都不与 eavesdrop 整体构成韵脚。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.