“Eavesdropping” vs “Listen in on” Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)What is the difference between 'hear' and 'listen'?How often is the expression “get on well” used? Is there any difference with “get along”?
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“Eavesdropping” vs “Listen in on”
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)What is the difference between 'hear' and 'listen'?How often is the expression “get on well” used? Is there any difference with “get along”?
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Is "Eavesdropping" and "Listening in on" different? and if they are in which context should I be using each expression?
listen in (on something) — phrasal verb with listen us /ˈlɪs·ən/ verb [ I ] to listen to someone's conversation when the person does not realize you are doing it:
She thinks her boss is listening in on her phone conversations.
eaves·drop
to secretly listen to a conversation.
"she opened the window just enough to eavesdrop on the conversation
outside"
word-usage
asked Mar 31 at 16:36
KaiqueKaique
1,844623
add a comment |
Is "Eavesdropping" and "Listening in on" different? and if they are in which context should I be using each expression?
listen in (on something) — phrasal verb with listen us /ˈlɪs·ən/ verb [ I ] to listen to someone's conversation when the person does not realize you are doing it:
She thinks her boss is listening in on her phone conversations.
eaves·drop
to secretly listen to a conversation.
"she opened the window just enough to eavesdrop on the conversation
outside"
word-usage
asked Mar 31 at 16:36
KaiqueKaique
1,844623
1
Please always include the source of dictionary definitions (or anything, really) you quote in your post. Thank you!
– userr2684291
Mar 31 at 18:17
Google "Emotive conjugation" ... "It's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I have an independent mind, You are eccentric, He is round the twist."
– Shane
Apr 1 at 3:47
add a comment |
Is "Eavesdropping" and "Listening in on" different? and if they are in which context should I be using each expression?
listen in (on something) — phrasal verb with listen us /ˈlɪs·ən/ verb [ I ] to listen to someone's conversation when the person does not realize you are doing it:
She thinks her boss is listening in on her phone conversations.
eaves·drop
to secretly listen to a conversation.
"she opened the window just enough to eavesdrop on the conversation
outside"
word-usage
asked Mar 31 at 16:36
KaiqueKaique
1,844623
Is "Eavesdropping" and "Listening in on" different? and if they are in which context should I be using each expression?
listen in (on something) — phrasal verb with listen us /ˈlɪs·ən/ verb [ I ] to listen to someone's conversation when the person does not realize you are doing it:
She thinks her boss is listening in on her phone conversations.
eaves·drop
to secretly listen to a conversation.
"she opened the window just enough to eavesdrop on the conversation
outside"
word-usage
word-usage
asked Mar 31 at 16:36
KaiqueKaique
1,844623
asked Mar 31 at 16:36
KaiqueKaique
1,844623
asked Mar 31 at 16:36
KaiqueKaique
1,844623
asked Mar 31 at 16:36
KaiqueKaique
1,844623
asked Mar 31 at 16:36
KaiqueKaique
1,844623
1,844623
1
Please always include the source of dictionary definitions (or anything, really) you quote in your post. Thank you!
– userr2684291
Mar 31 at 18:17
Google "Emotive conjugation" ... "It's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I have an independent mind, You are eccentric, He is round the twist."
– Shane
Apr 1 at 3:47
add a comment |
1
Please always include the source of dictionary definitions (or anything, really) you quote in your post. Thank you!
– userr2684291
Mar 31 at 18:17
Google "Emotive conjugation" ... "It's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I have an independent mind, You are eccentric, He is round the twist."
– Shane
Apr 1 at 3:47
1
1
Please always include the source of dictionary definitions (or anything, really) you quote in your post. Thank you!
– userr2684291
Mar 31 at 18:17
Please always include the source of dictionary definitions (or anything, really) you quote in your post. Thank you!
– userr2684291
Mar 31 at 18:17
Google "Emotive conjugation" ... "It's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I have an independent mind, You are eccentric, He is round the twist."
– Shane
Apr 1 at 3:47
Google "Emotive conjugation" ... "It's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I have an independent mind, You are eccentric, He is round the twist."
– Shane
Apr 1 at 3:47
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
"Listen in" is like "take", while "eavesdrop" is like "steal". For example:
She took a pencil from her coworker's desk
Without context it's impossible to say whether she is taking the pencil illicitly, or taking it because it's convenient. But if you say:
She stole a pencil from her coworker's desk
she clearly knows she's doing something wrong.
In the same way, if you "listen in" on a conversation, you're not necessarily doing anything wrong. It mostly depends on whether the speakers know they are being overheard, or if they expect privacy. For example:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she listened in on the conversations around her. Particularly interesting was a young couple quietly fighting over a pile of unwashed dishes, which apparently one of them had promised to do some days ago.
In this context, "listen in" is slightly naughty, but since it's a public cafe there's not really any expectation that conversations will be private. However, if instead you wrote:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she eavesdropped on the conversations around her.
This is definitely naughty, as she knows the conversations are not meant for her ears, but she's listening anyway. Same context, different nuance.
answered Mar 31 at 18:06
AndrewAndrew
71.6k679157
7
And to add a completely positive example. "New employee Sam was listening in on the customer call to gain an understanding of the process but she wasn't yet experienced enough to be an active participant"
– Richard Tingle
Apr 1 at 12:22
2
Does this mean that when a law enforcement officer listens in via a wiretap, it's not eavesdropping if there is a warrant? I always considered "eavesdropping" to be in regards to the speakers' knowledge/consent rather than the legality of the listening in.
– Flater
Apr 1 at 12:52
2
@Flater This really has little to do with any kind of absolute right or wrong, but rather what the writer wants to imply. If you write that the police "eavesdrop" on a conversation, it implies they're doing something wrong, even if it's for a good reason. In the grand scheme of things "eavesdropping" is not particularly naughty, much like a "little white lie".
– Andrew
Apr 1 at 15:23
There's also "overhear". I would say if you were in a cafe or a train and heard what people around you were saying, without any special effort on your part, then you overheard them, you didn't eavesdrop.
– Michael Kay
Apr 2 at 9:36
add a comment |
They're very similar. I would say that eavesdropping always carries the connotation that the listener is doing something a little wrong; they haven't been invited to any part of the conversation.
Listen in on can have that negative inflection, but it can also refer to something more neutral: "I have my assistant listening in on this conference call to take notes."
answered Mar 31 at 16:41
KatyKaty
2,524617
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
"Listen in" is like "take", while "eavesdrop" is like "steal". For example:
She took a pencil from her coworker's desk
Without context it's impossible to say whether she is taking the pencil illicitly, or taking it because it's convenient. But if you say:
She stole a pencil from her coworker's desk
she clearly knows she's doing something wrong.
In the same way, if you "listen in" on a conversation, you're not necessarily doing anything wrong. It mostly depends on whether the speakers know they are being overheard, or if they expect privacy. For example:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she listened in on the conversations around her. Particularly interesting was a young couple quietly fighting over a pile of unwashed dishes, which apparently one of them had promised to do some days ago.
In this context, "listen in" is slightly naughty, but since it's a public cafe there's not really any expectation that conversations will be private. However, if instead you wrote:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she eavesdropped on the conversations around her.
This is definitely naughty, as she knows the conversations are not meant for her ears, but she's listening anyway. Same context, different nuance.
answered Mar 31 at 18:06
AndrewAndrew
71.6k679157
7
And to add a completely positive example. "New employee Sam was listening in on the customer call to gain an understanding of the process but she wasn't yet experienced enough to be an active participant"
– Richard Tingle
Apr 1 at 12:22
2
Does this mean that when a law enforcement officer listens in via a wiretap, it's not eavesdropping if there is a warrant? I always considered "eavesdropping" to be in regards to the speakers' knowledge/consent rather than the legality of the listening in.
– Flater
Apr 1 at 12:52
2
@Flater This really has little to do with any kind of absolute right or wrong, but rather what the writer wants to imply. If you write that the police "eavesdrop" on a conversation, it implies they're doing something wrong, even if it's for a good reason. In the grand scheme of things "eavesdropping" is not particularly naughty, much like a "little white lie".
– Andrew
Apr 1 at 15:23
There's also "overhear". I would say if you were in a cafe or a train and heard what people around you were saying, without any special effort on your part, then you overheard them, you didn't eavesdrop.
– Michael Kay
Apr 2 at 9:36
add a comment |
"Listen in" is like "take", while "eavesdrop" is like "steal". For example:
She took a pencil from her coworker's desk
Without context it's impossible to say whether she is taking the pencil illicitly, or taking it because it's convenient. But if you say:
She stole a pencil from her coworker's desk
she clearly knows she's doing something wrong.
In the same way, if you "listen in" on a conversation, you're not necessarily doing anything wrong. It mostly depends on whether the speakers know they are being overheard, or if they expect privacy. For example:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she listened in on the conversations around her. Particularly interesting was a young couple quietly fighting over a pile of unwashed dishes, which apparently one of them had promised to do some days ago.
In this context, "listen in" is slightly naughty, but since it's a public cafe there's not really any expectation that conversations will be private. However, if instead you wrote:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she eavesdropped on the conversations around her.
This is definitely naughty, as she knows the conversations are not meant for her ears, but she's listening anyway. Same context, different nuance.
answered Mar 31 at 18:06
AndrewAndrew
71.6k679157
7
And to add a completely positive example. "New employee Sam was listening in on the customer call to gain an understanding of the process but she wasn't yet experienced enough to be an active participant"
– Richard Tingle
Apr 1 at 12:22
2
Does this mean that when a law enforcement officer listens in via a wiretap, it's not eavesdropping if there is a warrant? I always considered "eavesdropping" to be in regards to the speakers' knowledge/consent rather than the legality of the listening in.
– Flater
Apr 1 at 12:52
2
@Flater This really has little to do with any kind of absolute right or wrong, but rather what the writer wants to imply. If you write that the police "eavesdrop" on a conversation, it implies they're doing something wrong, even if it's for a good reason. In the grand scheme of things "eavesdropping" is not particularly naughty, much like a "little white lie".
– Andrew
Apr 1 at 15:23
There's also "overhear". I would say if you were in a cafe or a train and heard what people around you were saying, without any special effort on your part, then you overheard them, you didn't eavesdrop.
– Michael Kay
Apr 2 at 9:36
add a comment |
"Listen in" is like "take", while "eavesdrop" is like "steal". For example:
She took a pencil from her coworker's desk
Without context it's impossible to say whether she is taking the pencil illicitly, or taking it because it's convenient. But if you say:
She stole a pencil from her coworker's desk
she clearly knows she's doing something wrong.
In the same way, if you "listen in" on a conversation, you're not necessarily doing anything wrong. It mostly depends on whether the speakers know they are being overheard, or if they expect privacy. For example:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she listened in on the conversations around her. Particularly interesting was a young couple quietly fighting over a pile of unwashed dishes, which apparently one of them had promised to do some days ago.
In this context, "listen in" is slightly naughty, but since it's a public cafe there's not really any expectation that conversations will be private. However, if instead you wrote:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she eavesdropped on the conversations around her.
This is definitely naughty, as she knows the conversations are not meant for her ears, but she's listening anyway. Same context, different nuance.
answered Mar 31 at 18:06
AndrewAndrew
71.6k679157
"Listen in" is like "take", while "eavesdrop" is like "steal". For example:
She took a pencil from her coworker's desk
Without context it's impossible to say whether she is taking the pencil illicitly, or taking it because it's convenient. But if you say:
She stole a pencil from her coworker's desk
she clearly knows she's doing something wrong.
In the same way, if you "listen in" on a conversation, you're not necessarily doing anything wrong. It mostly depends on whether the speakers know they are being overheard, or if they expect privacy. For example:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she listened in on the conversations around her. Particularly interesting was a young couple quietly fighting over a pile of unwashed dishes, which apparently one of them had promised to do some days ago.
In this context, "listen in" is slightly naughty, but since it's a public cafe there's not really any expectation that conversations will be private. However, if instead you wrote:
Sitting alone in the cafe, she eavesdropped on the conversations around her.
This is definitely naughty, as she knows the conversations are not meant for her ears, but she's listening anyway. Same context, different nuance.
answered Mar 31 at 18:06
AndrewAndrew
71.6k679157
edited Apr 1 at 1:05
answered Mar 31 at 18:06
AndrewAndrew
71.6k679157
answered Mar 31 at 18:06
AndrewAndrew
71.6k679157
answered Mar 31 at 18:06
AndrewAndrew
71.6k679157
71.6k679157
7
And to add a completely positive example. "New employee Sam was listening in on the customer call to gain an understanding of the process but she wasn't yet experienced enough to be an active participant"
– Richard Tingle
Apr 1 at 12:22
2
Does this mean that when a law enforcement officer listens in via a wiretap, it's not eavesdropping if there is a warrant? I always considered "eavesdropping" to be in regards to the speakers' knowledge/consent rather than the legality of the listening in.
– Flater
Apr 1 at 12:52
2
@Flater This really has little to do with any kind of absolute right or wrong, but rather what the writer wants to imply. If you write that the police "eavesdrop" on a conversation, it implies they're doing something wrong, even if it's for a good reason. In the grand scheme of things "eavesdropping" is not particularly naughty, much like a "little white lie".
– Andrew
Apr 1 at 15:23
There's also "overhear". I would say if you were in a cafe or a train and heard what people around you were saying, without any special effort on your part, then you overheard them, you didn't eavesdrop.
– Michael Kay
Apr 2 at 9:36
add a comment |
7
And to add a completely positive example. "New employee Sam was listening in on the customer call to gain an understanding of the process but she wasn't yet experienced enough to be an active participant"
– Richard Tingle
Apr 1 at 12:22
2
Does this mean that when a law enforcement officer listens in via a wiretap, it's not eavesdropping if there is a warrant? I always considered "eavesdropping" to be in regards to the speakers' knowledge/consent rather than the legality of the listening in.
– Flater
Apr 1 at 12:52
2
@Flater This really has little to do with any kind of absolute right or wrong, but rather what the writer wants to imply. If you write that the police "eavesdrop" on a conversation, it implies they're doing something wrong, even if it's for a good reason. In the grand scheme of things "eavesdropping" is not particularly naughty, much like a "little white lie".
– Andrew
Apr 1 at 15:23
There's also "overhear". I would say if you were in a cafe or a train and heard what people around you were saying, without any special effort on your part, then you overheard them, you didn't eavesdrop.
– Michael Kay
Apr 2 at 9:36
7
7
And to add a completely positive example. "New employee Sam was listening in on the customer call to gain an understanding of the process but she wasn't yet experienced enough to be an active participant"
– Richard Tingle
Apr 1 at 12:22
And to add a completely positive example. "New employee Sam was listening in on the customer call to gain an understanding of the process but she wasn't yet experienced enough to be an active participant"
– Richard Tingle
Apr 1 at 12:22
2
2
Does this mean that when a law enforcement officer listens in via a wiretap, it's not eavesdropping if there is a warrant? I always considered "eavesdropping" to be in regards to the speakers' knowledge/consent rather than the legality of the listening in.
– Flater
Apr 1 at 12:52
Does this mean that when a law enforcement officer listens in via a wiretap, it's not eavesdropping if there is a warrant? I always considered "eavesdropping" to be in regards to the speakers' knowledge/consent rather than the legality of the listening in.
– Flater
Apr 1 at 12:52
2
2
@Flater This really has little to do with any kind of absolute right or wrong, but rather what the writer wants to imply. If you write that the police "eavesdrop" on a conversation, it implies they're doing something wrong, even if it's for a good reason. In the grand scheme of things "eavesdropping" is not particularly naughty, much like a "little white lie".
– Andrew
Apr 1 at 15:23
@Flater This really has little to do with any kind of absolute right or wrong, but rather what the writer wants to imply. If you write that the police "eavesdrop" on a conversation, it implies they're doing something wrong, even if it's for a good reason. In the grand scheme of things "eavesdropping" is not particularly naughty, much like a "little white lie".
– Andrew
Apr 1 at 15:23
There's also "overhear". I would say if you were in a cafe or a train and heard what people around you were saying, without any special effort on your part, then you overheard them, you didn't eavesdrop.
– Michael Kay
Apr 2 at 9:36
There's also "overhear". I would say if you were in a cafe or a train and heard what people around you were saying, without any special effort on your part, then you overheard them, you didn't eavesdrop.
– Michael Kay
Apr 2 at 9:36
add a comment |
They're very similar. I would say that eavesdropping always carries the connotation that the listener is doing something a little wrong; they haven't been invited to any part of the conversation.
Listen in on can have that negative inflection, but it can also refer to something more neutral: "I have my assistant listening in on this conference call to take notes."
answered Mar 31 at 16:41
KatyKaty
2,524617
add a comment |
They're very similar. I would say that eavesdropping always carries the connotation that the listener is doing something a little wrong; they haven't been invited to any part of the conversation.
Listen in on can have that negative inflection, but it can also refer to something more neutral: "I have my assistant listening in on this conference call to take notes."
answered Mar 31 at 16:41
KatyKaty
2,524617
add a comment |
They're very similar. I would say that eavesdropping always carries the connotation that the listener is doing something a little wrong; they haven't been invited to any part of the conversation.
Listen in on can have that negative inflection, but it can also refer to something more neutral: "I have my assistant listening in on this conference call to take notes."
answered Mar 31 at 16:41
KatyKaty
2,524617
They're very similar. I would say that eavesdropping always carries the connotation that the listener is doing something a little wrong; they haven't been invited to any part of the conversation.
Listen in on can have that negative inflection, but it can also refer to something more neutral: "I have my assistant listening in on this conference call to take notes."
answered Mar 31 at 16:41
KatyKaty
2,524617
answered Mar 31 at 16:41
KatyKaty
2,524617
answered Mar 31 at 16:41
KatyKaty
2,524617
answered Mar 31 at 16:41
KatyKaty
2,524617
2,524617
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Please always include the source of dictionary definitions (or anything, really) you quote in your post. Thank you!
– userr2684291
Mar 31 at 18:17
Google "Emotive conjugation" ... "It's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I have an independent mind, You are eccentric, He is round the twist."
– Shane
Apr 1 at 3:47