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   Spy

   /spī/

   

   noun

   • 1. a person who secretly collects and reports information on the activities, movements, and plans of an enemy or competitor.
   • ▪ a person who keeps watch on others secretly: "a spy camera"

   verb

   • 1. work for a government or other organization by secretly collecting information about enemies or competitors: "he agreed to spy for the West" Similar be a spybe engaged in spyinggather intelligencework for the secret serviceinformal:snoop
   • ▪ observe (someone) furtively: "the couple were spied on by reporters" Similar observe furtivelykeep under surveillancewatchkeep a watch onkeep an eye onkeep under observationfollowshadowtrailinformal:tailrare:surveil
   • ▪ discern or make out, especially by careful observation: "he could spy a figure in the distance" Similar noticeobserveseespotsightcatch sight ofglimpsecatch/get a glimpse ofmake outdiscernpick outdetecthave sight ofinformal:clap/lay/set eyes onliterary:espybeholddescry
   • ▪ collect information about something to use in deciding how to act: "he would go and spy out the land"

   Word Origin Middle English: shortening of Old French espie ‘espying’, espier ‘espy’, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin specere ‘behold, look’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. spying noun

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • S

     1

   • P

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   • Y

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2. People also ask

   What does spy mean?

   • : to watch, inspect, or examine secretly : act as a spy : one that watches the movement or actions of others especially in secret : a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country Nglish: Translation of spy for Spanish Speakers

   Spies Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spies

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   Why are spies so important?

   • On the same day a ring of spies is uncovered. A greater wonder: they came not single spies but in battalions. Spies tell stories that may be true, or half-true, or outright lies. Spies increased the level from ' moderate ', where it has been for four years. If politicians invent the past instinctively, spies do it professionally.

   SPIES definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/spies

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   What is the meaning of the name spies?

   • Spies surname: (German) 1. metonymic occupational name for a spear maker, from Middle High German spiez ‘spear’, ‘pike’, or an occupational name from the same word in the sense ‘soldier armed with a spear’. 2. habitational name from any of several places named Spies, in particular one near Nuremberg.

   Spies Genealogy, Spies Family History - geni family tree

   www.geni.com/surnames/spies

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   What is another word for spies?

   • Find another word for spies. In this page you can discover 42 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for spies, like: espies, snoops, searches, scrutinizes, scouts, pries, peeps, observes, notices, meddles and inspects. I guess I watched too many movies about spies to know how they really work.

   Spies synonyms | Best 42 synonyms for spies

   thesaurus.yourdictionary.com/spies

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3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › spiesSpies Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › spies

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   Learn the meaning of spy as a verb and a noun, with synonyms, examples, and word history. A spy is someone who secretly watches or informs on someone or something for hostile or strategic purposes.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionarySPY | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

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   Learn the meaning of spy as a noun and a verb, with examples of usage and synonyms. Find out how to use spy in different contexts, such as spying on someone or something, spying out a place, or spying for a country or organization.

5. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishSPY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   A spy is a person who secretly collects and reports information about the activities of another country or organization. Learn more about the noun and verb forms, synonyms, idioms, and translations of spy from Cambridge Dictionary.

6. www.dictionary.com › browse › spySPY Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › spy

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   noun. , plural spies. a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another, usually hostile, country, especially with reference to military or naval affairs. a person who keeps close and secret watch on the actions and words of another or others.

7. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › spySpy - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › spy

   Definitions of spy. noun. (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors. synonyms: undercover agent. see more. noun. a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people. “my spies tell me that you had a good time last night” see more. verb.

8. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › espionageEspionage Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › espionage

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   Espionage is the practice of spying or using spies to obtain information about the plans and activities especially of a foreign government or a competing company. Learn more about the word history, synonyms, examples, and legal definition of espionage from Merriam-Webster dictionary.

9. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishSPIES definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   May 15, 2024 · Learn the meaning of spies as a noun and a verb, and see how to use it in sentences. Find out the origin, pronunciation, and related terms of spies.