spy
(spī)
[Middle English spie, from Old French espie, from espier, to watch, of Germanic origin.]
noun: pl., spies (spīz)
- An agent employed by a state to obtain secret information, especially of a military nature, concerning its potential or actual enemies.
- One employed by a company to obtain confidential information about its competitors.
- One who secretly keeps watch on another or others.
- An act of spying.
verb: spied (spīd), spy·ing, spies (spīz)
transitive verb
- To observe secretly with hostile intent.
- To discover by close observation.
- To catch sight of: spied the ship on the horizon.
- To investigate intensively.
intransitive verb
- To engage in espionage.
- To seek or observe something secretly and closely.
- To make a careful investigation: spying into other people's activities.
