Spy v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spied p. pr. & vb. n. Spying.]
1. To gain sight of; to discover at a distance, or in a state of concealment; to espy; to see.
One, in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration. --Swift.
2. To discover by close search or examination.
Look about with your eyes; spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England. --Latimer.
3. To explore; to view, inspect, and examine secretly, as a country; -- usually with out.
Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof. --Num. xxi. 32.
spying
n 1: keeping a secret or furtive watch
2: the act of keeping a secret watch for intelligence purposes
[syn: undercover work]
3: the act of detecting something; catching sight of something
[syn: detection, catching, espial, spotting]