Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [spahy]
- /spaɪ/
- /ˈspaɪ/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [spahy]
- /spaɪ/
Definitions of spy word
- noun plural spy a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another, usually hostile, country, especially with reference to military or naval affairs. 1
- noun plural spy a person who keeps close and secret watch on the actions and words of another or others. 1
- noun plural spy a person who seeks to obtain confidential information about the activities, plans, methods, etc., of an organization or person, especially one who is employed for this purpose by a competitor: an industrial spy. 1
- noun plural spy the act of spying. 1
- verb without object spy to observe secretively or furtively with hostile intent (often followed by on or upon). 1
- verb without object spy to act as a spy; engage in espionage. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of spy
First appearance:
before 1200 One of the 9% oldest English words
1200-50; (v.) Middle English spien, aphetic variant of espien to espy; (noun) Middle English, aphetic variant of espy a spy < Old French espie
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Spy
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
spy popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
spy usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for spy
noun spy
- agent provocateur — An agent provocateur is a person who is employed by the government or the police to encourage certain groups of people to break the law, so they can arrest them or make them lose public support.
- asperser — to attack with false, malicious, and damaging charges or insinuations; slander.
- backbiter — to attack the character or reputation of (a person who is not present).
- backstabber — someone who attacks another deceitfully, behind his or her back
- benedict arnold — Benedict, 1741–1801, American general in the Revolutionary War who became a traitor.
verb spy
- apperceive — to be aware of perceiving
- be-held — simple past tense and past participle of behold.
- behold — If you behold someone or something, you see them.
- bug — A bug is an insect or similar small creature.
- catch sight of — to make out by means of the eyes; discern; see
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