eavesread
v. To surreptitiously read the text that another person is reading or writing.
Also Seen As
Other Forms
Etymology
Examples
2015
A less intimidating/eye-contact-y way of discovering your OTP than those 36 infamous questions. Eleanor and Park’s epic love story begins when Eleanor peeks over Park’s shoulder on the bus to school to “eavesread” his comics.
2014
I call the Starbucks near my house my auxiliary office. …I have coworkers there, the same people who are always there working too. There's the middle-aged woman who talks on her phone way too loud. …There's the guy about my age whom I learned through eavesreading is submitting his own writing to literary journals.
—Lauren Harrison, “May 07, 2014,” Lauren Harrison Editorial, May 07, 2014
2013
A confident performer, Orvedahl was a joy to watch. He had a memorable bit about "eavesreading" on a plane, and some great jokes about his daughter, and I was right on board with him the whole way.
—Victoria Laberge, “Homegrown Comic Competition and New Faces of Comedy: Unrepped,” Bloody Underrated, July 29, 2013
2005 (earliest)
Now, last week, I let you guys in on part of my request to God, now I'm going to let you 'eavesread' on a bit more, eavesreading is like eavesdropping only you do with with your eyes instead of your ears.
—“Bless those who bless me and curse those who curse me,” ChristianPatriot.com, August 01, 2005
Notes
Ever wondered where the terms eavesdrop and eavesdropper came from? Wonder no more by reading (ideally over someone's shoulder) Listening-In: A Short History of "Eavesdropper" on the Word Spy blog.