Spy /(spī)/

Spy

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Spied; p. pr. & vb. n. Spying

  1. 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.
  2. To discover by close search or examination.
    Look about with your eyes; spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England.
  3. To explore; to view, inspect, and examine secretly, as a country; -- usually with out.
    Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof.
    — Num. xxi. 32.

Spy

v. i.
  1. To search narrowly; to scrutinize.
    It is my nature's plague To spy into abuses.

Spy

n.

pl. Spies ((spīz))

  1. One who keeps a constant watch of the conduct of others.
  2. 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. (Mil.)

Phrases & Compounds
Spy money
money paid to a spy; the reward for private or secret intelligence regarding the enemy.
Spy Wednesday
the Wednesday immediately preceding the festival of Easter; -- so called in allusion to the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot.