spy
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spy
(spī)n. pl. spies (spīz)
1. One who secretly collects information concerning the enemies of a government or group.
2. One who secretly collects information for a business about one or more of its competitors.
3. One who secretly keeps watch on another or others.
v. spied (spīd), spy·ing, spies (spīz)
v.tr.
1. To watch or observe secretly: was sent to spy out the enemy camp.
2. To discover by close observation: "[They] are continually prowling about on all three decks, eager to spy out iniquities" (Herman Melville).
3. To catch sight of; see: spied the ship on the horizon.
v.intr.
1. To engage in espionage.
2. To investigate or observe something, especially in secret: spying into the neighbor's activities.
[Middle English spie, from Old French espie, from espier, to watch, of Germanic origin; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
spy
(spaɪ)n, pl spies
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a person employed by a state or institution to obtain secret information from rival countries, organizations, companies, etc
2. a person who keeps secret watch on others
3. obsolete a close view
vb, spies, spying or spied
4. (usually foll by: on) to keep a secret or furtive watch (on)
5. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (intr) to engage in espionage
6. (tr) to catch sight of; descry
[C13 spien, from Old French espier, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German spehōn, Middle Dutch spien]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
spy
(spaɪ)n., pl. spies, n.
1. a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another, usu. hostile, country.
2. a person who keeps close and secret watch on the actions and words of another or others.
3. the act of spying.
v.i. 4. to observe secretively, usu. with hostile intent (often fol. by on or upon).
5. to act as a spy; engage in espionage.
6. to search for or examine something closely or carefully.
v.t. 7. to catch sight of; espy: to spy a rare bird.
8. to discover by observation (often fol. by out).
9. to observe secretively, usu. with hostile intent.
10. to search or look for closely or carefully.
[1200–50; (v.) Middle English spien, aph. variant of espien to espy; (n.) Middle English, aph. variant of espy a spy < Old French espie]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
spy
Past participle: spied
Gerund: spying
| Imperative |
|---|
| spy |
| spy |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  spy - (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitorsarmed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" counterspy, mole - a spy who works against enemy espionage double agent - a spy who works for two mutually antagonistic countries espionage agent - someone employed to spy on another country or business competitor foreign agent - a spy for a foreign country infiltrator - someone who takes up a position surreptitiously for the purpose of espionage intelligence agent, intelligence officer, operative, secret agent - a person secretly employed in espionage for a government sleeper - a spy or saboteur or terrorist planted in an enemy country who lives there as a law-abiding citizen until activated by a prearranged signal |
| 2. | spy - a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people; "my spies tell me that you had a good time last night" | |
| Verb | 1. | spy - catch sight of |
| 2. | spy - watch, observe, or inquire secretly | |
| 3. | spy - catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; "he caught sight of the king's men coming over the ridge" perceive, comprehend - to become aware of through the senses; "I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon" | |
| 4. | spy - secretly collect sensitive or classified information; engage in espionage; "spy for the Russians" enquire, investigate, inquire - conduct an inquiry or investigation of; "The district attorney's office investigated reports of possible irregularities"; "inquire into the disappearance of the rich old lady" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
spy
noun
1. undercover agent, secret agent, double agent, secret service agent, foreign agent, mole, fifth columnist, nark (Brit., Austral., & N.Z. slang) He was jailed for five years as an alleged British spy.
verb
1. be a spy, snoop (informal), gather intelligence, be engaged in spying, work for the secret service I never agreed to spy for the United States.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
spy
nounverb
1. To observe or listen in secret to obtain information:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
جاسوسجَاسُوسيَتَجَسَّسُيَتَجَسَّسيُلاحِظ
špiónvyzvědač-kaprovádět špionážspatřit
spionspionerefå øje på
vakoillavakoojavakoilija
uhoditišpijunšpijuniratišpijunkauhoda
kémkedikspionkém
koma auga ánjósnanjósnari
スパイ見張る
몰래 감시하다스파이
šnipasšnipinėti
ievērotsaskatītspiegotspiegs
robiť špionáž
vohunvohunitivohunski
spionspionera
นักสืบสืบ
casuscasusluk etmekcasusluk yapmakfarketmekgözüne ilişmek
gián điệptheo dõi
spy
[spaɪ]A. N → espía mf
B. VT (= catch sight of) → divisar
finally I spied him coming → por fin pude verlo viniendo
to play I spy → jugar al veo-veo
I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with A → veo, veo una cosa que empieza con A
finally I spied him coming → por fin pude verlo viniendo
to play I spy → jugar al veo-veo
I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with A → veo, veo una cosa que empieza con A
C. VI → espiar, ser espía
to spy on sb → espiar a algn, observar a algn clandestinamente
he spied for the USA → fue espía al servicio de los EE.UU.
to spy on sb → espiar a algn, observar a algn clandestinamente
he spied for the USA → fue espía al servicio de los EE.UU.
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
spy
[ˈspaɪ] n → espion(ne) m/f
modif [film, movie, story, novel, drama] → d'espionnage; [camera] → d'espionnage, d'espion; [network] → d'espions
vi → faire de l'espionnage
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
spy
n → Spion(in) m(f); (= police spy) → Spitzel m; spy in the cab (inf: = tachograph) → Fahrtenschreiber m
vt → sehen, erspähen (geh); finally I spied him coming → endlich sah ich ihn kommen; I spy with my little eye something … → ˜ ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst, und …
vi → spionieren, Spionage treiben; to spy into something → in etw (dat) → herumspionieren; to spy on somebody → jdn bespitzeln; on neighbours → jdm nachspionieren; I Spy (= game) → ˜ ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst
spy
:spy case
n → Spionagefall m
spycatcher
n (inf) → Geheimdienstler(in) m(f) (inf)
spy film
n → Agentenfilm m
spy glass
n → Fernglas nt
spy master
n → Chefagent m, → Agentenführer m
spy movie
n (esp US) → Agentenfilm m
spy plane
n → Spionageflugzeug nt
spy ring
n → Spionagering m, → Agentenring m
spy satellite
n → Spionagesatellit m
spy story
n → Spionagegeschichte f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
spy
[spaɪ]2. vt (catch sight of) → scorgere
4. adj (film, story) → di spionaggio
spy out vt + adv to spy out the land (fig) → tastare il terreno
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
spy
(spai) noun a secret agent or person employed to gather information secretly especially about the military affairs of other countries. She was arrested as a spy; industrial spies.
verb1. to be a spy. He had been spying for the Russians for many years.
2. to see or notice. She spied a human figure on the mountainside.
ˈspyhole noun a peep-hole.
spy on to watch (a person etc) secretly. The police had been spying on the gang for several months.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
spy
→ جَاسُوس, يَتَجَسَّسُ špehovat, špion spion, spionere Spion, spionieren κατασκοπεύω, κατάσκοπος espía, espiar vakoilla, vakooja espion, espionner špijun, uhoditi spia, spiare スパイ, 見張る 몰래 감시하다, 스파이 spion, spioneren spion, spionere szpieg, szpiegować espião, espiar, espionar шпион, шпионить spion, spionera นักสืบ, สืบ casus, casusluk etmek gián điệp, theo dõi 密探, 间谍Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009