Espy
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
espy¹
- /ɪˈspaɪ/ UK
- /ɛ-/ UK
- /əˈspaɪ/ US
- /ɛ-/ US
Rhymes with -aɪ
Where it comes from
From Middle English aspien, espien (“to make covert observations of (a person or place) with hostile intent, to spy on; to seek to discover by spying; to act as a spy; to catch sight of, see; to look over, observe; to wait in ambush, to ambush; to plot against; to look for, seek to find; to inquire or look into, investigate; to discover, find”) [and other forms], from Old French espier (“to watch”) (modern French épier (“to keep an eye on, watch; to spy on; (dated) to watch for”)), from Vulgar Latin *spiāre, from Frankish *spehōn (“to look, peer; to spy”), from Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to look, peer; to spy”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look, observe, see”). Doublet of spy.
Cognates
* Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to examine; to look at; to consider, think”)
* Italian spiare
* Latin speciō (“to look at, observe, watch”)
* Old High German spehōn (modern German spähen)
* Occitan espiar
* Spanish espiar
verb espies · espying · espied · espy
- To find out or observe (someone or something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking; to catch sight of; to see; to spot. to espy land to espy a man in a crowd
- To see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly. […] I chaunced to eſpie thys foraſyde Peter talkynge wyth a certeyne ſtraunger a man well ſtryken in age wyth a blake sonne burned face, a longe bearde and a cloke catſe homely about hys ſhoulders, whom by hys fauour & apparrel forthwythe I iudged to be a maryner.
- To observe (someone or something) as a spy; also, to examine or observe (someone or something) carefully; or to look out or watch for. Remember the subtyle worldly wyse Counsellours of Hāmon, the sonne of Naas, king of the Amonites, which when Dauid had sent hys seruauntes to comfort the yong kyng, for the death of hys father, by craftye imaginacions counselled Hāmon not alonely not to receiue them gently, but to entreate them most
- To become aware of (a fact, information, etc.). If being the Commander of an army, thou eſpieſt a groſſe and manifeſt error in thine Enemy, look vvell to thy ſelfe, for treachery is not farre off: Hee vvhom deſire of victory binds too much, is apt to ſtumble at his ovvne Ruine.
- To observe as a spy, to spy; also, to examine or observe carefully; or to look out or watch. O inhabitant of Aroer, ſtand by the way, and eſpie; aſke him that fleeth, and her that eſcapeth, and ſay, VVhat is done?
espy²
- /ɪˈspaɪ/ UK
- /ɛ-/ UK
- /əˈspaɪ/ US
- /ɛ-/ US
Rhymes with -aɪ
Where it comes from
From Middle English aspie, espie (“covert investigation or observation, scouting, spying; information obtained through spying; secret and treacherous plan, plot; treachery; a scout or spy”) [and other forms],
from Anglo-Norman espie, Old French espie, from espier (verb): see further at etymology 1.
Cognates
* Italian spia
* Spanish espia
noun espies
- An act of finding out or observing by spying or looking; an espial or espying. Howe the right and lawes of the land / Were execute, and who durſt take in hand / To diſobey his ſtatutes and decrees, / If they were well kept in all countrees: / Of theſe he made ſubtile inueſtigation / Of his owne eſpie, and other mens relation.
- A scout or spy. Hobomak as confidently aſſured vs it was falſe, and ſent his vvife as an eſpy to ſee; […]
- The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means; espionage.
Espy³
Where it comes from
Shortened form of Gillespie.
proper noun Espys · Espey
- A surname.
- A census-designated place in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States.
