overhearo‧ver‧hear /ˌəʊvəˈhɪə $ ˌoʊvərˈhɪr/ ●○○ verb (past tense and past participle overheard /-ˈhɜːd $ -ˈhɜːrd/) [transitive] 
I overheard part of their conversation.overhear somebody saying something She overheard the management discussing pay rises.overhear somebody say (that) We overheard the teacher say there would be a pop quiz today. I couldn’t help overhearing your argument.► see thesaurus at hear → eavesdrop
VERB TABLE
overhear
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | overhear |
| he, she, it | overhears | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | overheard |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have overheard |
| he, she, it | has overheard | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had overheard |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will overhear |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have overheard |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am overhearing |
| he, she, it | is overhearing | |
| you, we, they | are overhearing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was overhearing |
| you, we, they | were overhearing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been overhearing |
| he, she, it | has been overhearing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been overhearing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be overhearing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been overhearing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- an overheard conversation
- Claire, who was outside the door, overheard their conversation.
- I couldn't help overhearing you and Jim last night - is something wrong?
- She claims to have overheard an argument between the President and the First Lady.
- We overheard Jenny and her friends talking about their boyfriends last night.
- A fellow trader talking to another thrift president on another line overheard DiNapoli and cracked up.
- Anyone who overhears or intercepts the key in transit can later read all encrypted messages using that key.
- I think I must have overheard telephone conversations about Margarett getting drunk and late-night parties at Prides.
- Marc was gazing out of the window, but he couldn't help overhearing her side of the conversation.
- Rostov wondered if the Manchu had overheard the conversation, but he gave no sign.
- Their strategy was overheard on a police scanner that was able to intercept cellular phone transmissions.
THESAURUS
to know that a sound is being made, using your ears: · There’s no need to shout – I can hear you!· Voices could be heard in the distance.
to pay attention to something, using your ears: · I was listening to the news on the car radio.· He never listens to anything I say.
to hear something with difficulty: · When I got closer, I could make out a human voice.· I could just make out what he was saying.
to accidentally hear another person’s conversation: · I overheard her say to her friend that she had lost something.
to hear something that someone says: · Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.· I caught the last few minutes of the programme.
to listen to a programme – often used in announcements on the radio: · Tune in for all the latest news and views from around the world.· Thousands of people tune in to the show every week.
adjective loud enough to be heard: · Her words were clearly audible.· an audible whisper
to pay attention to what someone is saying or to a sound that you hear: · I didn’t hear the answer, because I wasn’t listening when she read it out.· He listened carefully to every word I said.
to listen carefully to what someone is saying: · I nodded to show I was paying attention.· She was tired and wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying.
to secretly listen to someone else’s conversation by standing near them, hiding behind a door etc: · I caught him eavesdropping on our conversation.· They spoke in quiet voices which made it hard to eavesdrop.
to hear someone say something, especially accidentally: · I overheard him say something about wanting to move house.· Excuse me! I couldn’t help overhearing that you were planning a trip to Thailand.
to listen to a radio programme, or to someone using a radio transmitter: · Over a million people tune in to the programme each week.· Tune in at the same time next week for the next episode.· The equipment could be used by criminals to tune in to police broadcasts.
to connect a piece of electronic recording equipment to a telephone system so that you can listen to people’s telephone conversations: · The police had tapped the phones of all three suspects.· The president had to resign over an illegal phone-tapping operation.
to hide a small piece of electronic recording equipment in someone’s room, car, office etc in order to listen secretly to what is said there: · Security agents bugged their offices and managed to get some evidence against them.· Wells was convinced the house was bugged and insisted on playing loud music while we talked.
Longman Language Activatorto hear something or someone · Did you hear that noise?· Suddenly we heard a knock at the door.· Say that again -- I didn't hear you.· She called after him but he kept on walking and pretended not to hear.hear somebody/something doing something · Neighbours heard the child screaming and called the police.· I could have sworn I heard the phone ringing.hear somebody/something do something · I heard the front door close, and knew that Bob had left for work.· Did you hear them announce the result?
to accidentally hear what someone is saying, when they do not realize that you can hear them: · Claire, who was outside the door, overheard their conversation.overhear somebody saying/talking etc: · We overheard Jenny and her friends talking about their boyfriends last night.I couldn't help overhearing (=say this when you have accidentally overheard someone saying something): · I couldn't help overhearing you and Jim last night - is something wrong?
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY We overheard the teacher say there would be a pop quiz today. I couldn’t help overhearing your argument.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
We overheard the teacher say there would be a pop quiz today. I couldn’t help overhearing your argument.· Some one could follow you home after overhearing your conversation.· I think I must have overheard telephone conversations about Margarett getting drunk and late-night parties at Prides.· Rostov wondered if the Manchu had overheard the conversation, but he gave no sign.· Hansel overheard the conversation and prepared for the inevitable by filling his pockets with pebbles.· I overheard his name in conversation.· People overhear conversations, what people have bought, what money they have.· The man claims he overheard cockpit conversation about mechanical problems, not paperwork.
VERB· Marc was gazing out of the window, but he couldn't help overhearing her side of the conversation.
WORD FAMILYadjectiveunheardunheardofnounhearinghearerverbhearoverhear
to accidentally hear what other people are saying, when they do not know that you have heard: I overheard part of their conversation.overhear somebody saying something She overheard the management discussing pay rises.overhear somebody say (that) We overheard the teacher say there would be a pop quiz today. I couldn’t help overhearing your argument.► see thesaurus at hear → eavesdrop