overhear

/ˌəʊvəˈhɪə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌəʊvərˈhɪr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌō-vər-ˈhir/ (ame, mw)

overhear — verb

  • overhearpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • overhearshe / she / it
  • overheardpast simple
  • overhearing-ing form

1. to catch part of another person's talk by accident when the speakers do not know

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to catch part of another person's talk by accident when the speakers do not know you can hear it.

例句

On the bus, Emma overheard two nurses discussing tomorrow's strike.

pattern: overhear + people + -ing

From the hallway, we overheard the principal cancel Friday's game.

pattern: overhear + person + bare infinitive

同義詞
  • hear

    much broader and does not suggest private talk or accidental listening

  • catch

    often used for a word or short phrase, especially when hearing is difficult

  • eavesdrop

    stronger because it implies deliberate listening to a private conversation

文法句型

overhear + conversation/remark/name

overhear + someone + say/do something

overhear + someone + -ing

用法筆記

Often takes words like conversation, argument, remark, or name as its object, or a person plus another verb. It usually suggests chance hearing rather than deliberate listening, unlike eavesdrop.

常見錯誤

❌I overheard about their plan on the train.
✅I overheard their plan on the train.
💡'overhear' takes a direct object, not 'about'.
❌Mina overheard to her parents in the kitchen.
✅Mina overheard her parents talking in the kitchen.
💡the object is the person or words you heard, not the listener.