Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
espionage; the act of secretly gathering information
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
present participle and gerund of spy
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
the act of detecting something; catching sight of something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: detection, catching, espial, spotting
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: discovery, find, uncovering
noun
the act of keeping a secret watch for intelligence purposes
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: undercover work
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: intelligence, intelligence activity, intelligence operation
Narrower terms: espionage
noun
keeping a secret or furtive watch
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: watch, vigil
History
Inherited from Middle English spyinge, spiyng, spyeng, equivalent to spy + -ing.
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
