Pronunciation: /spaɪ/

Definitions of spy

noun A person who secretly collects and reports information about the activities, movements, and plans of an enemy or competitor.

Example Sentences

A1 I saw a spy in the movie.

A2 The spy was hiding in plain sight.

B1 The spy gathered important information for the government.

B2 The spy's cover was blown during the mission.

C1 The spy was skilled in encryption and decryption techniques.

C2 The spy's allegiance was always in question.

verb To observe or gather information secretly.

Example Sentences

A1 I spy with my little eye something beginning with the letter 'S'.

A2 She likes to spy on her neighbors through the window.

B1 The detective was hired to spy on the criminal's activities.

B2 The government agent was tasked with spying on foreign diplomats.

C1 The journalist decided to spy on the corrupt politician to uncover the truth.

C2 The hacker was able to spy on the company's confidential information without being detected.

Examples of spy in a Sentence

formal The government employed a spy to gather intelligence on the enemy.

informal I think my neighbor might be a spy, always watching everyone from behind the curtains.

slang I heard he's a spy for the other team, feeding them information.

figurative Her ability to read people's emotions is like being a spy into their thoughts.

Grammatical Forms of spy

past tense

spied

plural

spies

comparative

more spy

superlative

most spy

present tense

spy

future tense

will spy

perfect tense

have spied

continuous tense

spying

singular

spy

positive degree

spy

infinitive

to spy

gerund

spying

participle

spying

Origin and Evolution of spy

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old French
Story behind the word: The word 'spy' originated from the Old French word 'espier' which means 'to watch or observe'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'spy' has evolved to refer to individuals who secretly collect information or conduct covert operations on behalf of a government or organization.