wiretap

/ˈwaɪrtæp/

/ˈwaɪətæp/

Other forms: wiretapping; wiretaps; wiretapped

To wiretap is to secretly listen in on someone's phone conversation. In some cases, the FBI will use a wiretap to investigate a serious federal crime.

A wiretap is either the act of surveillance with a listening device or the device itself: "They put a wiretap on the mob boss's home phone, but he always uses a cellphone." As a verb, wiretap means to use such a device: "The government can't wiretap someone without a warrant." Since the invention of the telephone, law enforcement has used wiretaps — originally from the sense of tapping (obtaining information from) a telephone wire.

Definitions of wiretap

1. noun

   the act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information
   synonyms: tap

   type of:

   investigating, investigation

   the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically
2. verb

   tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information
   synonyms: bug, intercept, tap

   type of:

   eavesdrop, listen in

   listen without the speaker's knowledge