A person who secretly watches and examines the actions of other individuals or organizations and gathers information on them (usually to gain an advantage)
{i} person who is employed by a government to gather information on other countries, secret agent; person who secretly investigates and gathers information about other people
a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people; "my spies tell me that you had a good time last night"
(military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people; "my spies tell me that you had a good time last night"
Vidocq, the spy in the French Revolution, was a short man, vivacious, vain, and talkative He spoke of his feats with real enthusiasm and gusto
To explore; to view; inspect; and examine secretly, as a country; usually with out
If you spy someone or something, you notice them. He was walking down the street when he spied an old friend. = spot. spies someone whose job it is to find out secret information about another country, organization, or group = secret agent British/Russian/foreign etc spy
Vidocq the spy in the French Revolution, was a short man, vivacious, vain, and talkative He spoke of his feats with real enthusiasm and gusto
Someone who spies for a country or organization tries to find out secret information about another country or organization. The agent spied for East Germany for more than twenty years East and West are still spying on one another I never agreed to spy against the United States. + spying spy·ing a ten-year sentence for spying
To gain sight of; to discover at a distance, or in a state of concealment; to espy; to see
A person sent secretly into an enemy's camp, territory, or fortifications, to inspect his works, ascertain his strength, movements, or designs, and to communicate such intelligence to the proper officer