What does eavesdrop mean?
Word: Eavesdrop
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Eavesdrop means to listen secretly to what other people are saying in private.
How do you spell eavesdrop?
Syllables: eaves - drop
Tricky part: Its long e sound at the start is spelt ea, not ee or a plain e.
Watch out for: eevesdrop, evesdrop, eevsdrop
Memory tip: An eavesdropper relies on an ear, and the two words open with the same two letters.
Eavesdrop in a sentence
Example 1: We caught our little brother trying to eavesdrop on the grown-ups from the stairs.
Example 2: The parrot seemed to eavesdrop on every family chat and repeat it later.
Example 3: Please close the door so nobody can eavesdrop on our plans for Dad's birthday surprise.
Fun Fact
In old England the strip of ground under a roof edge, where rainwater dripped, had a name of its own. Anyone standing on it could catch the talk indoors, and the verb grew from that spot.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. interrupt 2. overhear 3. eavesdorp 4. whisper
a) break in while someone is speaking
b) follow a private talk without the speakers knowing
c) speak very softly using your breath
d) happen to catch words by accident
Show answer
b) follow a private talk without the speakers knowing. The r and the o near the end have swapped places.
Word Makeup
Only one of these compound words is spelt correctly. Choose it.
a) eavesdrop
b) headquaters
c) lighthose
d) thundorstorm
Show answer
a) eavesdrop. Headquarters has lost an r, thunderstorm has an o for an e and lighthouse has lost a u, so eavesdrop is the sound one.
Mingle-Mangle
The jumbled letters in the sentence hide a word. Choose it.
It is not polite to psdeevrao on your sister's telephone calls.
a) overstep
b) overdress
c) eavesdrop
d) evaporate
Show answer
c) eavesdrop. Evaporate lacks a d, while overstep and overdress have no a, so eavesdrop is left.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
eavesddrop
a) s
b) v
c) r
d) d
Show answer
d) d. One d is enough here.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is the clearest example of eavesdropping?
a) asking a friend what the film was about
b) standing outside a door to catch a chat
c) reading a notice aloud to the whole class
d) listening to the news on the car radio
Show answer
b) standing outside a door to catch a chat
2. Why do polite people try not to eavesdrop?
a) it uses up too much free time
b) the talk was not meant for them
c) it makes the speakers talk louder
d) it wears out their sense of hearing
Show answer
b) the talk was not meant for them
