Pronunciation: /ˈspaɪɪŋ/

Definitions of spying

noun the act of secretly obtaining information about another country or organization

Example Sentences

A1 I saw a cat spying on the birds in the garden.

A2 The spy was caught spying on the government building.

B1 The company was accused of spying on its competitors to gain an advantage.

B2 The espionage agency used advanced technology for spying on foreign governments.

C1 The act of spying is often seen as a breach of privacy and trust.

C2 The spy's expertise in spying on high-profile targets made them a valuable asset to the agency.

verb to secretly collect information about another country or organization

Example Sentences

A1 I saw my cat spying on the birds outside.

A2 The detective was spying on the suspect from a distance.

B1 The government was accused of spying on its citizens.

B2 She admitted to spying on her neighbor through the window.

C1 The journalist was caught spying on a high-profile politician.

C2 The spy was highly skilled in the art of spying on enemy agents.

Examples of spying in a Sentence

formal The government was accused of spying on its citizens without their consent.

informal I heard that Sarah's ex-boyfriend has been spying on her social media accounts.

slang I can't believe you're still spying on your crush, that's so creepy!

figurative The detective felt like he was spying on the suspect's every move, even though he was just observing from a distance.

Grammatical Forms of spying

past tense

spied

plural

spies

comparative

more spying

superlative

most spying

present tense

spies

future tense

will spy

perfect tense

have spied

continuous tense

is spying

singular

spy

positive degree

spy

infinitive

to spy

gerund

spying

participle

spying

Origin and Evolution of spying

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English/Old French
Story behind the word: The word 'spying' originated from the Middle English word 'spien' which came from the Old French word 'espier' meaning to watch or observe.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to secretly watching or observing someone or something, the word 'spying' has evolved to encompass a broader range of activities related to gathering information covertly.