LISTEN IN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does listen in mean? 

• LISTEN IN (verb)
  The verb LISTEN IN has 2 senses:

1. listen quietly, without contributing to the conversation

2. listen without the speaker's knowledge

  Familiarity information: LISTEN IN used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LISTEN IN (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Listen quietly, without contributing to the conversation

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "listen in" is one way to...):

listen (hear with intention)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Listen without the speaker's knowledge

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

eavesdrop; listen in

Context example:

the jealous man was eavesdropping on his wife's conversations

Hypernyms (to "listen in" is one way to...):

listen (hear with intention)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "listen in"):

bug; intercept; tap; wiretap (tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

Grant, and of everything and all together between Mr. Crawford and Mrs. Grant, as to leave her the fairest prospect of having only to listen in quiet, and of passing a very agreeable day.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)