n.
Pronunciation: ' sp ī
Function: verb
Inflected Form: spied ; spy · ing
Etymology: Middle English spien, from Anglo-French espier, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German speh ō n to spy; akin to Latin specere to look, look at, Greek skeptesthai & skopein to watch, look at, consider
Date: 13th century
transitive verb
1 : to watch secretly usually for hostile purposes
2 : to catch sight of : SEE
3 : to search or look for intensively ― usually used with out < spy out places fit for vending ⋯ goods ― S. E. Morison>
intransitive verb
1 : to observe or search for something : LOOK
2 : to watch secretly as a spy