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Overhearing

 - 3 dictionary results

o⋅ver⋅hear

  [oh-ver-heer]
Use Overhearing in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -heard, -hear⋅ing.
to hear (speech or a speaker) without the speaker's intention or knowledge: I accidentally overheard what they were saying.
Origin:
1540–50; over- + hear

Related forms:
o⋅ver⋅hear⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Overhearing
o·ver·hear   (ō'vər-hîr')   
v.   o·ver·heard (-hûrd'), o·ver·hear·ing, o·ver·hears

v.   tr.
To hear (speech or someone speaking) without the speaker's awareness or intent.
v.   intr.
To hear something without the speaker's awareness or intent.
o'ver·hear'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

overhear 
"to hear what one is not meant to hear," 1549, from over + hear (q.v.). The notion is perhaps "to hear beyond the intended range of the voice." O.E. oferhieran meant "to not listen, to disregard, disobey" (cf. overlook, and M.H.G. überhaeren, M.Du. overhoren in same sense).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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