Etymology Dictionary

EAVES,  the clipt edge of a thatched roof.  (E.)   A sing. sb.; the pl. should be eaveses.   M. E. euese (u = v); pl. eueses, which occurs in P. Plowman, B. xvii. 227.—A. S. efese, a clipt edge of thatch, eaves, in the Lambeth Psalter, Ps. ci. 8 (Lye); whence the verb efesian, to clip, shave, shear, in Levit. xix. 27. + Icel. ups, eaves. + Swed. dial. uffs, eaves (Rietz). + Goth. ubizwa, a porch; John, x. 23. + O. H. G. opasa, M. H. G. obse, a porch, hall; also, eaves.   [The sense 'porch' is due to the projection of the eaves, forming a cover.]   β. The derivation is from the Germanic preposition UF, appearing in Goth. uf, under, beneath; O. H. G. opa, oba, M. H. G. obe, G. oben, above (cf. G. ob-dach, a shelter); cf. Lat. sub, under, super, over.   See Over.   ¶ The orig. sense was 'cover,' or 'shelter.'   Der. eaves-dropp-er, one who stands under the drippings from the eaves, hence, a secret listener; Rich. III, v. 3. 221; Blackstone, Comment. b. iv. c. 13 (R.)   Cf. Swed. dial. uffsa-drup, droppings from the eaves (Rietz); Icel. upsar-dropi. [†]

ADDENDA

EAVESDROPPER.   I find a mention of 'euesdroppers vnder mennes walles or wyndowes by nyght or by day to bere tales' in a book on Court Baron, pr. by Pynson, fol. a 5, back.