The habit of lurking about dwelling houses, and other places where persons meet for private intercourse, secretly listening to what is said, and then tattling it abroad. The offense is indictable at common law.
Comes from the common law offense of listening to private conversations by crouching under the windows or eaves of a house. Eavesdropping occurs when someone listens to conversations or observes conduct which is meant to be private. It includes using electronic equipment to intercept telephone or other wire communications, or radio equipment to intercept broadcast communications.
Passive secret wiretapping i.e. without the knowledge of the originator or the intended recipients of the communication.
To listen to a conversation secretly and without the consent of the other person.
Listening to a private conversation which can reveal information and may provide access to a facility or network.
Surreptitious interception of information sent over a network by an entity for which the information is not intended.
Intercepting and reading messages and conversations by unintended recipients.
Listening to conversations or observing conduct which is meant to be private, typically by using devices that amplify sound or light, such as stethoscopes or binoculars. The term comes from the common law offense of listening to private conversations by crouching under the windows or eaves of a house. Nowadays, eavesdropping includes using electronic equipment to intercept telephone or other wire communications, or radio equipment to intercept broadcast communications. Generally, the term "eavesdropping" is used when the activity is not legally authorized by a search warrant or court order; and the term "surveillance" is used when the activity is permitted by law. Compare electronic surveillance.
Eavesdropping is the intercepting of conversations by unintended recipients. One who participates in eavesdropping (i.e. someone who secretly listens in on the conversations of others) is called an eavesdropper. The origin of the term comes from situations in which people would literally hide out in the eavesdrop of a house to listen in on private conversations.
