spy

spy
\ \ [13] A spy is etymologically someone who ‘looks’. The word was adapted from Old French espiewatcher, spy’, a derivative of espierwatch, spy’ (from which English gets the verb spy, and also espy [14] and espionage [18]). This in turn was formed from the borrowed Germanic base *spekh- (source of German spähenreconnoitre, watch’ and Swedish spejaspy, scout’), which went back ultimately to Indo- European *spek- ‘look’ (source of English inspect, spectator, etc).
\ \ Cf.ESPIONAGE, EXPECT, INSPECT, SPECIAL, SPECTATOR

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Spy — L élise St Amand (1900) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • SPY — may refer to: * SPY (spiders), ticker symbol for Standard Poor s Depositary Receipts * SPY (magazine), a satirical monthly, trademarked all caps * SPY (Ivory Coast), airport code for San Pédro, Côte d Ivoire * SPY (Ship Planning Yard), a U.S.… …   Wikipedia

  • Spy-fi — is a genre of spy fiction that includes elements of science fiction. It often uses a secret agent or superspy whose mission is a showcase of science fiction elements such as technology and ideas used for extortion, plots for world domination or… …   Wikipedia

  • Spy — Spy, n.; pl. {Spies} (sp[imac]z). [See {Spy}, v., and cf. {Espy}, n.] 1. One who keeps a constant watch of the conduct of others. These wretched spies of wit. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mil.) A person sent secretly into an enemy s camp, territory …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spy — [spī] vt. spied, spying [ME spien < OFr espier < OHG spehōn, to search out, examine < IE base * spek̑ , to spy, watch closely > L specere, to see, Sans spaśati, (he) sees, Gr skopein, to observe] 1. to watch or observe closely and… …   English World dictionary

  • spy — mid 13c., from O.Fr. espier to spy, espie a spy, probably from Frankish *spehon, from P.Gmc. *spekh (Cf. O.H.G. *spehon to look out for, scout, spy, Ger. spähen to spy, M.Du. spien), the Gmc. survivals of the productive PIE root *spek to look… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Spy — (sp[imac]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spied} (sp[imac]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Spying}.] [OE. spien, espien, OF. espier, F. [ e]pier, OHG. speh[=o]n, G. sp[ a]hen; akin to L. specere to see, Skr. spa[,c]. [root] 169. Cf. {Espy}, v. t., {Aspect}, {Auspice} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spy — ► NOUN (pl. spies) 1) a person employed to collect and report secret information on an enemy or competitor. 2) a person or device that observes others secretly. ► VERB (spies, spied) 1) be a spy. 2) ( …   English terms dictionary

  • Spy — Spy, v. i. To search narrowly; to scrutinize. [1913 Webster] It is my nature s plague To spy into abuses. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spy — steht für: Spy (Jemeppe sur Sambre), einen Ortsteil der belgischen Gemeinde Jemeppe sur Sambre Leslie Ward (1851–1922), besser bekannt als Spy, britischer Karikaturist und Maler Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • spy — I noun agent, detective, emissarius, explorator, informant, informer, intelligence agent, intelligencer, investigator, lookout, observer, reconnoiterer, reporter, scout, secret agent, sleuth, snoop, snooper, source, speculator, undercover agent,… …   Law dictionary

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