spy

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Archived revision by Secondhand Work (talk | contribs) as of 14:14, 15 January 2020.
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

Etymology

Lua error: The template Template:PIE root does not use the parameter(s): 
2=speḱ
Please see Module:checkparams for help with this warning.

(deprecated template usage)

From Middle English spien, aphetic variant of earlier espien (“to espy”), from Old French espier (“to spy”), from Frankish *spehōn (“to spy”), from Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to see, look”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look”). Akin to German spähen (“to spy”), Dutch spieden (“to spy”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /spaɪ/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ

Noun

spy (plural spies)

  1. A person who secretly watches and examines the actions of other individuals or organizations and gathers information on them (usually to gain an advantage).
    • 2013 June 29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 55:
      Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.

Synonyms

Translations

Derived terms

Verb

spy (third-person singular simple present spies, present participle spying, simple past and past participle spied)

  1. (intransitive) To act as a spy.
    During the Cold War, Russia and America would each spy on each other for recon.
  2. (transitive) To spot; to catch sight of.
    I think I can spy that hot guy coming over here.
    • (Can we date this quote by Jonathan Swift and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      One in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration.
    • (Can we date this quote by Latimer and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Look about with your eyes; spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England.
  3. (intransitive) To search narrowly; to scrutinize.
    • (Can we date this quote by Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      It is my nature's plague / To spy into abuses.
  4. (transitive) To explore; to see; to view; inspect and examine secretly, as a country.
    • Bible, Numbers xxi. 32
      Moses sent to spy Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof.

Translations

Derived terms

Related terms

See also

Descendants

  • → Japanese: スパイ (supai)
  • → Korean: 스파이 (seupai)

Anagrams

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse spýja, from Proto-Germanic *spīwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ptyēw- (“to spit, vomit”). Compare Swedish and Danish spy, Icelandic spýja, English spew, Dutch spuwen, German speien.

Noun

spy n (definite singular spyet) (uncountable)

  1. barf (US), vomit, spew

Verb

spy (present tense spyr, simple past spydde, past participle spydd)

  1. to barf (US), throw up, vomit, spew (also figurative)

Synonyms

References

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse spýja, from Proto-Germanic *spīwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ptyēw- (“to spit, vomit”). Compare Norwegian and Danish spy, Icelandic spýja, English spew, Dutch spuwen, German speien.

Pronunciation

Verb

spy

  1. to throw up, to vomit

Conjugation

Conjugation of spy (weak)
Active Passive
Infinitive spy —
Supine spytt —
Imperative spy —
Imper. plural1 spyn —
Present Past Present Past
Indicative spyr spydde — —
Ind. plural1 spy spydde — —
Subjunctive2 spy spydde — —
Participles
Present participle spyende
Past participle spydd
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Quotations

This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them!

Synonyms

Related terms

Anagrams

Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=spy&oldid=58425754"