spying

spy n., pl. spies, v., spied, spy•ing.
n. [countable]

a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another country, usually an enemy:Spies who are caught in time of war are shot.
one who keeps close and secret watch on another or others:We had a spy in our business who told our rivals all our secret plans.

to observe or watch secretively, usually with hostile intent:[~ + on/upon + object]He was spying on everyone.
to act as a spy;
perform espionage:[no object]He spied for several years but made no reports until ordered to.
to catch sight of:[~ + object]to spy a rare bird.

spy n., pl. spies, v., spied, spy•ing.

a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another, usually hostile, country, esp. with reference to military or naval affairs.
a person who keeps close and secret watch on the actions and words of another or others.
a person who seeks to obtain confidential information about the activities, plans, methods, etc., of an organization or person, esp. one who is employed for this purpose by a competitor:an industrial spy.
the act of spying.

v.i.

to observe secretively or furtively with hostile intent (often fol. by on or upon).
to act as a spy;
engage in espionage.
to be on the lookout;
keep watch.
to search for or examine something closely or carefully.

v.t.

to catch sight of suddenly;
espy;
descry:to spy a rare bird overhead.
to discover or find out by observation or scrutiny (often fol. by out).
to observe (a person, place, enemy, etc.) secretively or furtively with hostile intent.
to inspect or examine or to search or look for closely or carefully.

Old French espie
1200–50; (verb, verbal) Middle English spien, aphetic variant of espien to espy; (noun, nominal) Middle English, aphetic variant of espy a spy

spy′ship, n.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

spy /spaɪ/ n ( pl 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

vb (spies, spying, spied)

Etymology: 13th Century spien, from Old French espier, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German spehōn, Middle Dutch spien

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