spy
[ spahy ]
/ spaɪ /
noun, plural spies.
verb (used without object), spied, spy·ing.
verb (used with object), spied, spy·ing.
Origin of spy
1200–50; (v.) Middle English
spien, aphetic variant of
espien to
espy; (noun) Middle English, aphetic variant of
espy a spy < Old French
espie
OTHER WORDS FROM spy
Words nearby spy
sputniks,
sputter,
sputtering,
sputum,
spuyten duyvil creek,
spy,
spy on,
spy out,
spy wednesday,
spyglass,
spyhole
British Dictionary definitions for spy on
spy
/ (spaɪ) /
noun plural spies
a person employed by a state or institution to obtain secret information from rival countries, organizations, companies, etc
a person who keeps secret watch on others
obsolete
a close view
verb spies, spying or spied
(intr usually foll by on)
to keep a secret or furtive watch (on)
(intr)
to engage in espionage
(tr)
to catch sight of; descry
Word Origin for spy
C13
spien, from Old French
espier, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German
spehōn, Middle Dutch
spien
Idioms and Phrases with spy on
spy on
Secretly or furtively observe someone or something, as in The children loved spying on the grownups, or The company sent him to spy on the competitor's sales force. [Early 1600s]