spy

[[t]spa͟ɪ[/t]]

spies, spying, spied

1) N-COUNT A spy is a person whose job is to find out secret information about another country or organization.

He was jailed for five years as an alleged British spy...

The spy ring passed secrets to the enemy.

2) ADJ: ADJ n A spy satellite or spy plane obtains secret information about another country by taking photographs from the sky.

3) VERB Someone who spies for a country or organization tries to find out secret information about another country or organization.

[V for n] The agent spied for East Germany for more than twenty years...

[V on n] East and West still spying on one another...

[V against n] I never agreed to spy against the United States.

Derived words:

spying N-UNCOUNT

...a ten-year sentence for spying.

4) VERB If you spy on someone, you watch them secretly.

[V on n] That day he spied on her while pretending to work on the shrubs...

[V on n] He had his wife spied on for evidence in a divorce case.

5) VERB If you spy someone or something, you notice them. [LITERARY]

[V n] He was walking down the street when he spied an old friend.

Syn:

spot