spy
n. · v.-
1 secret agent (n.) B1 Intermediatea person who secretly collects information about an enemy, a government, or a business.
an individual employed by a government or organisation to collect secret information regarding a competitor or enemy.
ExampleThe spy was caught trying to steal secret documents from the embassy.
ExampleIntelligence agencies often spend years cultivating a single spy within a foreign government to ensure a steady flow of high-level information.
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2 to watch secretly (v.) B1 Intermediateto watch someone or something secretly to find out information.
to observe a person, group, or country secretly and continuously. Often takes the preposition 'on'.
ExampleThe children liked to spy on their older brother from the treehouse.
ExampleThe corporation was accused of hiring private investigators to spy on its competitors' research and development facilities.
UsageCommonly used with the preposition 'on' followed by the target.
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3 to catch sight of (v.) C1 Advanced Literaryto suddenly see or notice something, especially something far away or hidden.
to catch sight of or detect something through careful observation. Transitive in this sense.
ExampleFrom the top of the hill, she managed to spy a small cottage in the valley.
ExampleAfter hours of scanning the horizon with his binoculars, the lookout finally spied a thin plume of smoke rising from the distant island.
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4 football defender (n.) C2 Proficiency American English Technical Sporta player in American football whose job is to watch and follow a specific opponent.
a defensive player assigned to mirror the movements of a specific offensive player, typically the quarterback, to prevent a run.
ExampleThe coach decided to use a linebacker as a spy to stop the quarterback from running.
ExampleBy employing a fast linebacker as a spy, the defense successfully neutralised the quarterback's ability to scramble for first downs.
UsageUsed as a countable noun in a sports strategy context.
From Middle English spien, aphetic variant of earlier espien (“to espy”), from Old French espier (“to spy”), from Frankish spehōn (“to spy”), from Proto-Germanic spehōną (“to see, look”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look”). Akin to German spähen (“to spy”), Dutch spieden (“to spy”). The noun displaced native Old English sċēawere (literally “watcher”), which was also the word for "mirror." In this sense, the verb displaced Old English sċēawian, which was also the word for "to watch" and became the Modern English word show. Distant cognate vie PIE with Latin speculātor, Ancient Greek κατάσκοπος (katáskopos). Compare typologically Russian согляда́тай (sogljadátaj) (akin to гляде́ть (gljadétʹ)).