spy (redirected from spying out)

spy noun agent, detective, emissarius, explorator, informer, intelligence agent, intelligencer, lookout, observer, reconnoiterer, reporter, scout, seeret agent, sleuth, snoop, snooper, source, speculator, undercover agent, undercover man, watcher
Associated concepts: espionage

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spy verb behold, catch sight of, descry, detect, discover, discover by artifice, distinguish, eavesdrop, espy, examine secretely, follow, glimpse, innpect secretely, look at, look for, make a reconnaissance, make out, make secret observations, observe, peep, peer, perceive, pry, recognize, reconnoiter, scrutinize, search out, see, shadow, sight, snoop, speculari, spy upon, take note, trail, view, watch, watch secretely

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See also: conspirator, discern, informant, observe, perceive, recognize, watch

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SPY. One who goes into a place for the purpose of ascertaining the best way of doing an injury there.
     2. The term is mostly applied to an enemy who comes into the camp for the purpose of ascertaining its situation in order to make an attack upon it. The punishment for, this crime is death. See Articles of War, 1 Story's Laws U. S. 992; Vattel, Droit des Gens. liv. 3, Sec. 179.