spy definition

English spy definition

Etymology

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”).

The noun displaced native Old English sċēawere (literally “watcher”), which was also the word for "mirror." In this sense, the verb displaced Old English sċēawian, which was also the word for "to watch" and became the Modern English word show.

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).

   Synonyms: (obsolete) espy, intelligencer; see also Thesaurus:spy

   • 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.

2. (American football) A defensive player assigned to cover an offensive backfield player man-to-man when they are expected to engage in a running play, but the offensive player does not run with the ball immediately.

Derived terms

Translations

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.

   • 1536 June 16 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “Sermon II. Master Latimer’s Discourse on the Same Day in the Afternoon [Preached to the Convocation of the Clergy, before the Parliament Began, the Sixth Day of June, the Twenty Eighth Year of the Reign of the Late King Henry VIII].”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, Master Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester. […], volume I, London: […] J. Scott, […], published 1758, →OCLC, page 32:

     VVherefore lift up your heads, brethren, and look about vvith your eyes, ſpy vvhat things are to be reformed in the Church of England.

     The spelling has been modernized.

   • 1720, Jonathan Swift, A Letter to a Young Clergyman:

     One in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration.

   • 1818, John Keats, A Prophecy:

     Child, I see thee! Child, I spy thee!

   • 1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 68:

     The next person they spied was a Bandicoot carrying a watermelon.

3. (intransitive) To search narrowly; to scrutinize.
   • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii], page 324:

     (As I confeſſe it is my Natures plague / To ſpy into Abuſes, and of my iealouſie / Shapes faults that are not)

4. (transitive) To explore; to see; to view; inspect and examine secretly, as a country.

Derived terms

Related terms

• spyglass
• spyware

Translations

See also

• Wikipedia article on spies

Descendants

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

Anagrams

• PYs, SYP, YPs, pys

Norwegian Bokmål spy definition

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

• kaste opp

References

• “spy” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk spy definition

Etymology

From Old Norse spýja. The noun is derived from the verb.

Verb

spy (present tense spyr, past tense spydde, past participle spytt/spydd, passive infinitive spyast, present participle spyande, imperative spy)

1. (transitive, intransitive) to vomit
2. (intransitive, about blowflies) to lay eggs

Derived terms

Noun

spy n (definite singular spyet, uncountable)

1. vomit, sick
2. (collective) eggs of a blowfly

References

• “spy” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Anagrams

• syp

Swedish spy definition

Etymology

From Old Swedish spȳia, spȳa, spȳ, 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

• IPA^(key): /spyː/

Verb

spy (present spyr, preterite spydde, supine spytt, imperative spy)

1. to throw up, to puke, to vomit

   Synonyms: kräkas, (slang) lägga en pizza

   • 2015, Mons Kallentoft, Vårlik‎^[1], Bokförlaget Forum, →ISBN:

     Hon känner magen dra sig samman och hon kastar sig åt sidan, spyr all galla ur magen och det känns oändligt skönt och hela hon är svett och en kylig fuktighet.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2018, Rune Pär Olofsson, Tillsammans‎^[2], Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

     När jag hör det, vill jag spy. För det är en dubbelmoral. Och jag har tvingats spy upp den — gång på gång.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2019 December 19, Charlotta Lindgren, En hel jävla bok om cancer‎^[3], Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

     Jag drabbades av järnbrist och förstoppning och jag spydde en hel del. I flera dagar var jag inlagd på lasarettet.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Conjugation

Derived terms

• kaskadspy (“projectile vomit”)
• spy upp (“throw up”) (transitive)
• spyboll
• spyfärdig
• spypåse

Related terms

• spya

References

• spy in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• spy in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• spy in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Anagrams

• pys