overhear
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overhear
- /oʊ.vɚˈhɪɚ/ US
Rhymes with -ɪə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
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)).
verb overhears · overhearing · overheard
- 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.
