spy
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
spy
n 1: (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain
information about its enemies or by a business to obtain
industrial secrets from competitors [syn: {spy},
{undercover agent}]
2: a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people;
"my spies tell me that you had a good time last night"
v 1: catch sight of [syn: {descry}, {spot}, {espy}, {spy}]
2: watch, observe, or inquire secretly [syn: {spy}, {stag},
{snoop}, {sleuth}]
3: catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; "he caught sight
of the king's men coming over the ridge" [syn: {spy},
{sight}]
4: secretly collect sensitive or classified information; engage
in espionage; "spy for the Russians"
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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, or fortifications, to inspect his works,
ascertain his strength, movements, or designs, and to
communicate such intelligence to the proper officer.
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{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.
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Syn: See {Emissary}, and {Scout}.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Spy \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[aum]hen; akin to L. specere
to see, Skr. spa[,c]. [root] 169. Cf. {Espy}, v. t.,
{Aspect}, {Auspice}, {Circumspect}, {Conspicuous}, {Despise},
{Frontispiece}, {Inspect}, {Prospect}, {Respite}, {Scope},
{Specimen}, {Spectacle}, {Specter}, {Speculate}, {Spice},
{Spite}, {Suspicion}.]
1. To gain sight of; to discover at a distance, or in a state
of concealment; to espy; to see.
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One, in reading, skipped over all sentences where he
spied a note of admiration. --Swift.
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2. To discover by close search or examination.
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Look about with your eyes; spy what things are to be
reformed in the church of England. --Latimer.
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3. To explore; to view, inspect, and examine secretly, as a
country; -- usually with out.
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Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the
villages thereof. --Num. xxi.
32.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
114 Moby Thesaurus words for "spy":
CIA man, agent, be vigilant, be watchful, beagle, behold, betrayer,
blab, blabber, blabberer, blabbermouth, bug, case, catch sight of,
clap eyes on, cloak-and-dagger operative,
counterintelligence agent, counterspy, delator, descry, detect,
detective, dig out, discern, discover, distinguish, double agent,
espionage agent, espy, eye, eyeball, ferret out, fink, fish out,
follow, gaze at, glimpse, grub up, have a looksee, have in sight,
hold in view, hunt out, identify, informer, inside man,
intelligence agent, investigator, keep in sight, keep in view,
keep under observation, ken, lay eyes on, look after, look at,
look on, look upon, make a reconnaissance, make out, meddle,
military-intelligence man, narc, naval-intelligence man, nose,
notice, observe, operative, peacher, peek, peep, perceive,
pick out, pick up, play the spy, pry, pry out,
put under surveillance, recognize, reconnoiter, reconnoiterer,
regard, root out, scout, scout out, search out, secret agent, see,
sense, sight, sleuth, snitch, snitcher, snoop, spook, spot,
spotter, spy out, spy upon, spy-catcher, squealer, stag, stake out,
stool pigeon, stoolie, take in, talebearer, tattler, tattletale,
telltale, twig, undercover man, view, watch, whistle-blower,
witness
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