---
title: overhear — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «overhear» in the school dictionary: To overhear something is to hear what other people are saying without them knowing, or without meaning to listen. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# overhear

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** other people, people, I, Mum, boy, pirates · **What happens:** overhear, be, say, know, mean, listen · **To what, where:** something, Mum, surprise party, plan, story, conversation · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«overhear» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [overhear in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/overhear.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To overhear something is to hear what other people are saying without them knowing, or without meaning to listen.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:m1:1
# text = To overhear something is to hear what other people are saying without them knowing, or without meaning to listen.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	overhear	overhear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	hear	hear	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	11	obj	_	_
8	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	ccomp	_	_
12	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
13	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	knowing	know	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
18	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	listen	listen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **overhear** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | hear *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · progressive | other people |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent what=Topic |
| 4 | **know** | gerund | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 5 | **mean** | gerund | other people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 6 | **listen** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | other people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I overheard Mum planning my surprise party.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:x1:1
# text = I overheard Mum planning my surprise party.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	overheard	overhear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	planning	plan	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	acl	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **overhear** | past | I | Mum |  |  |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer mum=Stimulus |
| 2 | **plan** | gerund | Mum *not said here* | my surprise party |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent party=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the story, the boy overheard the pirates' plan.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:x2:1
# text = In the story, the boy overheard the pirates' plan.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	overheard	overhear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	pirates	pirate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	'	's	PART	POS	_	9	case	_	_
11	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **overhear** | past | the boy | the pirates's plan |  | the story |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer plan=Stimulus |
| 2 | **plan** |  | the pirates |  |  |  |  |  | nom plan «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:x3:1
# text = Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation.
1	Sorry	sorry	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
4	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	overhearing	overhear	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	conversation	conversation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **help** | could | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **overhear** *not said to happen* | gerund | I *not said here* | your conversation |  |  |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer conversation=Stimulus |
| 3 | **converse** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom conversation «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Speak quietly so you are not overheard.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:x4:1
# text = Speak quietly so you are not overheard.
1	Speak	speak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	quietly	quietly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	overheard	overhear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | quietly *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **overhear** | present · passive |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She overheard her name in the staff room.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:x5:1
# text = She overheard her name in the staff room.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	overheard	overhear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	staff	staff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **overhear** | past | She | her name |  | the staff room |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer name=Stimulus |
| 2 | **name** |  | her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The spy overheard the soldiers talking.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:x6:1
# text = The spy overheard the soldiers talking.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spy	spy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	overheard	overhear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	soldiers	soldier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	talking	talk	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **overhear** | past | the spy | the soldiers |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **talk** | gerund | the spy *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We overheard the teacher say there would be a quiz.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:x7:1
# text = We overheard the teacher say there would be a quiz.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	overheard	overhear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
6	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	8	expl	_	_
7	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	be	be	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	ccomp	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	quiz	quiz	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **overhear** | past | We | the teacher |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | infinitive | We *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **be** | would | a quiz |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This time they could not prevent him overhearing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:overhear:x8:1
# text = This time they could not prevent him overhearing.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
3	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
4	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	prevent	prevent	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	overhearing	overhear	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **prevent** | could | they | him *= he* |  |  | time |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **overhear** | gerund | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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