Spy

Pronunciation

• IPA: /spaɪ/
• Rhymes: -aɪ

Origin

From Middle English spien, aphetic variant of earlier espien "to espy", from Old French espier ("to spy") (espie "a spy"), from Frankish *spehōn ("to spy") (possibly through a Vulgar Latin *spiāre), from Proto-Germanic *spehōną ("to see, look"), from Proto-Indo-European *spek- ("to look"). Akin to Old High German spehōn, spehhōn "to scout, look out for, spy" (German spähen "to spy"), Middle Dutch spien "to spy", Dutch bespieden "to spy on".

Full definition of spy

Noun

1. A person who secretly watches and examines the actions of other individuals or organizations and gathers information on them (usually to gain an advantage).
• 2013-06-29, Travels and travails, Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.

Derived terms

• spy ring

Verb

1. (intransitive) To act as a spy.During the Cold War, Russia and America would each spy on each other for recon.
2. (transitive) To spot; to catch sight of.I think I can spy that hot guy coming over here.
• Jonathan SwiftOne in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration.
• LatimerLook about with your eyes; spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England.
3. (intransitive) To search narrowly; to scrutinize.
• ShakespeareIt is my nature's plague
  To spy into abuses.
4. (transitive) To explore; to view; inspect and examine secretly, as a country.
• Bible, Numbers xxi. 32Moses sent to spy Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof.

Derived terms

• spy on

Related terms

• spyglass
• spyware

Anagrams

• SYP