spy

spy
I. verb (spied; spying) Etymology: Middle English spien, from Anglo-French espier, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German spehōn to spy; akin to Latin specere to look, look at, Greek skeptesthai & skopein to watch, look at, consider Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. to watch secretly usually for hostile purposes 2. to catch sight of ; see 3. to search or look for intensively — usually used with out <
spy out places fit for vending…goods — S. E. Morison
>
intransitive verb 1. to observe or search for something ; look 2. to watch secretly as a spy II. noun (plural spies) Date: 13th century 1. one that spies: a. one who keeps secret watch on a person or thing to obtain information b. a person employed by one nation to secretly convey classified information of strategic importance to another nation; also a person who conveys the trade secrets of one company to another 2. an act of spying

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Spy — L élise St Amand (1900) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • SPY — may refer to: * SPY (spiders), ticker symbol for Standard Poor s Depositary Receipts * SPY (magazine), a satirical monthly, trademarked all caps * SPY (Ivory Coast), airport code for San Pédro, Côte d Ivoire * SPY (Ship Planning Yard), a U.S.… …   Wikipedia

  • Spy-fi — is a genre of spy fiction that includes elements of science fiction. It often uses a secret agent or superspy whose mission is a showcase of science fiction elements such as technology and ideas used for extortion, plots for world domination or… …   Wikipedia

  • Spy — Spy, n.; pl. {Spies} (sp[imac]z). [See {Spy}, v., and cf. {Espy}, n.] 1. One who keeps a constant watch of the conduct of others. These wretched spies of wit. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mil.) A person sent secretly into an enemy s camp, territory …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spy — [spī] vt. spied, spying [ME spien < OFr espier < OHG spehōn, to search out, examine < IE base * spek̑ , to spy, watch closely > L specere, to see, Sans spaśati, (he) sees, Gr skopein, to observe] 1. to watch or observe closely and… …   English World dictionary

  • spy — mid 13c., from O.Fr. espier to spy, espie a spy, probably from Frankish *spehon, from P.Gmc. *spekh (Cf. O.H.G. *spehon to look out for, scout, spy, Ger. spähen to spy, M.Du. spien), the Gmc. survivals of the productive PIE root *spek to look… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Spy — (sp[imac]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spied} (sp[imac]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Spying}.] [OE. spien, espien, OF. espier, F. [ e]pier, OHG. speh[=o]n, G. sp[ a]hen; akin to L. specere to see, Skr. spa[,c]. [root] 169. Cf. {Espy}, v. t., {Aspect}, {Auspice} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spy — ► NOUN (pl. spies) 1) a person employed to collect and report secret information on an enemy or competitor. 2) a person or device that observes others secretly. ► VERB (spies, spied) 1) be a spy. 2) ( …   English terms dictionary

  • Spy — Spy, v. i. To search narrowly; to scrutinize. [1913 Webster] It is my nature s plague To spy into abuses. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spy — steht für: Spy (Jemeppe sur Sambre), einen Ortsteil der belgischen Gemeinde Jemeppe sur Sambre Leslie Ward (1851–1922), besser bekannt als Spy, britischer Karikaturist und Maler Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • spy — I noun agent, detective, emissarius, explorator, informant, informer, intelligence agent, intelligencer, investigator, lookout, observer, reconnoiterer, reporter, scout, secret agent, sleuth, snoop, snooper, source, speculator, undercover agent,… …   Law dictionary

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