Definition

1. Noun:

   • A secret watcher; someone who secretly collects information: A person who is employed by a government or organization to obtain secret information about another country, organization, or person.
   • A secret agent: A person involved in espionage, often working for a state or company to gather intelligence on enemies or competitors.

2. Verb:

   • To secretly collect sensitive information; to engage in espionage: To act as a spy; to obtain secret information covertly.
   • To catch sight of; to see or notice: To observe or perceive someone or something, often suddenly or from a distance.
   • To watch, observe, or inquire secretly: To examine or investigate something in a covert manner.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The spy was caught trying to steal classified documents.
  • He worked as a corporate spy for a rival technology firm.

• Verb (to engage in espionage):

  • She was accused of spying for a foreign power.
  • The agent spied on the enemy's communications.

• Verb (to catch sight of):

  • I spied a rare bird in the tree from my window.
  • He spied his friend across the crowded room.

• Verb (to watch secretly):

  • The detective spied on the suspect's house for a week.
  • Children love to spy on their parents from the staircase.

Advanced Usage

• "to spy out": To explore or examine an area secretly to gain information.

  • The scouts were sent to spy out the land before the army advanced.

• "to spy on someone's movements": To secretly monitor and track a person's activities.

  • The journalist felt she was being spied on by government agents.

Variants and Related Words

• Espionage (n): The practice of spying or using spies to obtain information.

  • The novel is a thriller about international espionage.

• Spyware (n): Software that secretly monitors and collects information from a computer.

  • You should install antivirus software to protect against spyware.

• Spymaster (n): A person who directs or controls a network of spies.

  • The spymaster coordinated the intelligence operation from a secure location.

Synonyms

• Noun: Agent, operative, informant, mole, undercover agent.
• Verb (to watch): Observe, monitor, surveil, scout.
• Verb (to see): Spot, glimpse, notice, discern.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Spy on: To watch someone secretly to discover information about them.

  • The company was spying on its competitors' research.

• Spy out: To discover or find out something by careful observation or investigation.

  • They hoped to spy out the weaknesses in the enemy's defenses.

Related Idioms

• A spy in the camp: A person within a group who is secretly working for an opposing group.

  • The CEO feared there was a spy in the camp leaking plans to the press.

• To spy with the naked eye: To see something without the aid of any device like binoculars or a telescope.

  • You can spy the island with the naked eye on a clear day.

Noun

1. a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people
   • my spies tell me that you had a good time last night
2. (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors

Verb

1. secretly collect sensitive or classified information; engage in espionage
   • spy for the Russians
2. catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes
   • he caught sight of the king's men coming over the ridge
3. watch, observe, or inquire secretly
4. catch sight of