eavesdrop » eardrop

Classification: English

Spotted in the wild:

  • Some of the terms that are closely inspected in this chapter include attacks on integrity and confidentiality, wardriving, LAN jacking, wireless eardropping, WEP cracking and usage of rougue adapters. (net-security.org book review, June 4, 2003)
  • I mean just eardropping this morning I heard a lot. (Australian Government welcome address transcript, (1994))
  • Yes privacy and civil rights are important, but do you really think the government was more interested about eardropping on your silly conversations than about trying to prevent another attack? (SatelliteGuys.us forum, August 28, 2006)

Analyzed or reported by:

On the original verb _eavesdrop_, see _eavesdrop_ » _ease drop_. _Eardrop_ makes immediate sense.

| Comments Off link | entered by Chris Waigl, 2009/05/18 |

eavesdrop » ease drop

Classification: English

Spotted in the wild:

  • Not too long ago, however, I ease dropped on a conversation at a local restaurant, that although was probably not the right thing to do, as far as good manners are concerned, proved to be quite entertaining. (The Caledonia Argus, Oct 23, 2007)
  • I just lovelovelove all that kitschy stuff that you find in touristy places, and you can get some fabulous easedropping done, too. (Salon.com comment, Jul 23, 1997)
  • I have a problem. I like to ease drop. I am horrible at doing this. I ease drop and love to people watch. (blog post, July 12, 2006)
  • But how do you prove someone is ease dropping? (mailing list post, Sep 28, 1996)

Analyzed or reported by:

_Eavesdrop_ is a denominal verb formed from the same pattern as for example _shop_ or _lobby_. The underlying noun _eavesdrop_, expanded in the OED as “the space of ground which is liable to receive the rain-water thrown off by the eaves of a building”, has fallen out of general use, and with it the image behind the verb, of standing close to the outside wall of a house, under the overhanging roof, and listening in to what is spoken inside.

The eggcorn _easedrop_ or _ease drop_ might be stressing the aspect of casualness when overhearing other people’s conversations.

The reshaping _eavesdrop_ » _ease drop_ has been suggested multiple times on this site and in other venues, first by Chris Russell (investigated by Pat Schwieterman).

See also _eavesdrop_ » _eardrop_.

| Comments Off link | entered by Chris Waigl, 2009/05/18 |