SPY

spy, undercover agent

(noun) (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors

spy

(noun) a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people; “my spies tell me that you had a good time last night”

spy

(verb) secretly collect sensitive or classified information; engage in espionage; “spy for the Russians”

spy, stag, snoop, sleuth

(verb) watch, observe, or inquire secretly

descry, spot, espy, spy

(verb) catch sight of

spy, sight

(verb) catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; “he caught sight of the king’s men coming over the ridge”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

spy (plural spies)

A person who secretly watches and examines the actions of other individuals or organizations and gathers information on them (usually to gain an advantage).

Synonyms

• intelligencer

• spy

Verb

spy (third-person singular simple present spies, present participle spying, simple past and past participle spied)

(intransitive) To act as a spy.

(transitive) To spot; to catch sight of.

(intransitive) To search narrowly; to scrutinize.

(transitive) To explore; to see; to view; inspect and examine secretly, as a country.

Anagrams

• PYs, SYP, YPs, pys

Source: Wiktionary

Spy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spied; p. pr. & vb. n. Spying.] Etym: [OE. spien, espien, OF. espier, F. épier, OHG. speh, G. spähen; akin to L. specere to see, Skr. spa(Espy, v.t., Aspect, Auspice, Circumspect, Conspicuouc, Despise, Frontispiece, Inspect, Prospect, Respite, Scope, Scecimen, Spectacle, Specter, Speculate, Spice, Spite, Suspicion.]

Definition: To gain sight of; to discover at a distance, or in a state of concealment; to espy; to see. One in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration. Swift.

2. To discover by close search or examination. Look about with yout eyes; spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England. Latimer.

3. To explore; to view; inspect; and examine secretly, as a country;

– usually with out. Moses sent to spy Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof. Num. xxi. 32.

Spy, v. i.

Definition: To search narrowly; to scrutinize. It is my nature's plague To spy into abuses. Shak.

Spy, n.; pl. Spies. Etym: [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.

2. (Mil.)

Definition: A person sent secretly into an enemy's camp, territory, or fortifications, to inspect his works, ascertain his strength, movements, or designs, and to communicate such intelligence to the proper officer. Spy money, money paid to a spy; the reward for private or secret intelligence regarding the enemy.

– Spy Wednesday (Eccl.), the Wednesday immediately preceding the festival of Easter; -- so called in allusion to the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot.

Syn.

– See Emissary, and Scout.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition