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🇫🇷French Source WordCode: FR

espionner

Pronunciation / Transliteration: eh-spyoh-nay

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Eavesdrop/ˈiːvz.drɒp/
verbCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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🇫🇷 Example Sentence in French:

"Il est impoli d'espionner les conversations des autres."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

1 sense
As verb
  1. 1

    To secretly listen to a private conversation without the speakers' knowledge or consent.

    "She stood by the door, hoping to eavesdrop on their private discussion."
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Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from Middle English 'evesdrope', referring to the ground where water drips from the eaves (overhang) of a house. Historically, standing within the eavesdrop meant standing close enough to a wall to secretly listen to conversations inside.

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