From Middle English aspien, espien (“to make covert observations of (a person or place) with hostile intent, to spy on; to seek to discover by spying; to act as a spy; to catch sight of, see; to look over, observe; to wait in ambush, to ambush; to plot against; to look for, seek to find; to inquire or look into, investigate; to discover, find”) [and other forms], from Old French espier (“to watch”) (modern French épier (“to keep an eye on, watch; to spy on; (dated) to watch for”)), from Vulgar Latin *spiāre, from Frankish *spehōn (“to look, peer; to spy”), from Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to look, peer; to spy”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look, observe, see”). Doublet of spy. Cognates * Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to examine; to look at; to consider, think”) * Italian spiare * Latin speciō (“to look at, observe, watch”) * Old High German spehōn (modern German spähen) * Occitan espiar * Spanish espiar
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To find out or observe (someone or something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking; to catch sight of; to see; to spot.
to espy land to espy a man in a crowd
No wyse man entreth in to a gardein but he sone espiethe good herbes from nettiles, and treadeth the nettiles under his feete whiles he gadreth good herbes.1531, Thomas Elyot, “The Seconde and Thirde Decay of Lernyng amonge Gentilmen”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour […] (Everyman’s Library), London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent & Co; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Co, published [1907], →OCLC, 1st book, page 60:
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For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 14, page 311:
[T]hou eſpyedſt a poore drunken Begger (his belly beeing full) heyghing, leaping and dauncing, fetching ſtrange youthfull friskes, & taking care for nothing.1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 43, recto:
[T]he Lark (poore bird!) afarre eſpi'th / Her yet unfeather'd children (vvhom to ſave / She ſtrives in vain) ſlain by the fatall ſithe, / VVhich from the medovv her green locks doth ſhave, / That their vvarm neſt is novv become their grave; […]1610, G[iles] Fletcher, “Christs Triumph over Death”, in Christ’s Victory and Triumph, in Heaven, and Earth, over and after Death. […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel, for Richard Royston, published 1640, →OCLC, stanza 67, page 68:
The faults hee eſpyeth in others, he vvill comdemn in himſelfe; if not in the act and habit, vvhich grace preſerueth him from, yet in the ſeedes and inclination: […]1629, Thomas Taylor, “Signes of Repentance, in Respect of Others”, in The Practice of Repentance, Laid Downe in Sundry Directions, together with the Helps, Lets, Signes and Motiues. […], 2nd edition, London: […] [Humphrey Lownes] for I. Bartlet […], →OCLC, pages 340–341:
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To see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly.
[…] I chaunced to eſpie thys foraſyde Peter talkynge wyth a certeyne ſtraunger a man well ſtryken in age wyth a blake sonne burned face, a longe bearde and a cloke catſe homely about hys ſhoulders, whom by hys fauour & apparrel forthwythe I iudged to be a maryner.1551, Thomas More, “The Fyrste Boke of the Communycacion of Raphaell Hythlodaye Concernynge the Best State of a Commen Wealthe”, in Raphe Robynson [i.e., Ralph Robinson], transl., A Fruteful, and Pleasaunt Worke of the Best State of a Publyque Weale, and of the Newe Yle Called Utopia: […], London: […] [Steven Mierdman for] Abraham Vele, […], →OCLC, signatures B.ij., verso – B.iij., recto:
Come on my Lords the better foot before, / Straight vvill I bring you to the lothſome pit, / VVhere I eſpied the Panther faſt a ſleepe.c. 1588–1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, and are to be sold by Edward White & Thomas Millington, […], published 1594, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], signature [D4], recto:
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And as one of them opened his ſacke, to giue his aſſe prouender in the Inne, he eſpied his money: for behold, it was in his ſackes mouth.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 42:27:
[T]heir came tovvards me one of theſe ſeemingly deuout Abdals, in his ſheeps skin & horne about his necke and bare-footed, eſpying me, hee bleſt himſelfe and ſuddenly began to mutter his prayer to Mahomet vvith feruent ardencie, […]1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “A Description of Syam”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC, page 196:
After a long time the master turned about and walked into the cabin and, there espying Philip Marsham, he smiled and said, ‘‘I was remiss. I had forgotten you.” He threw aside the cloak that lay on the chair and sat down.1923, Charles Boardman Hawes, The Dark Frigate, Chapter 7:
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Obsolete To observe (someone or something) as a spy; also, to examine or observe (someone or something) carefully; or to look out or watch for.
Remember the subtyle worldly wyse Counsellours of Hāmon, the sonne of Naas, king of the Amonites, which when Dauid had sent hys seruauntes to comfort the yong kyng, for the death of hys father, by craftye imaginacions counselled Hāmon not alonely not to receiue them gently, but to entreate them most shamefullye and cruellye, sayinge that they came not to comforte hym, but to espye and search hys lande, so that afterward they brynging Dauid woorde howe euerye thynge stoode, Dauid myghte come and conquer it.1530 December 10 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “The Letter of Maister Latimer Written to King Henry [VIII], Answering to the foresaid Inhibition of the Byshops”, in John Foxe, Actes and Monuments of These Latter and Perillous Dayes, […], London: […] Iohn Day, […], published 30 March 1563 (Gregorian calendar), →OCLC, book V, page [1415], column 2:
Novv queſtion me no more vve are eſpied, / Here comes a parcell of our hopefull bootie, / VVhich dreads not yet their liues deſtruction.c. 1588–1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, and are to be sold by Edward White & Thomas Millington, […], published 1594, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
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Fortie yeeres olde was I when Moſes the ſeruant of the Lord ſent me from Kadeſh Barnea, to eſpie out the land, and I brought him worde againe, as it was in mine heart.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Joshua 14:7, column 2:
VVe keep company vvith Harlots and polluted perſons: vve are kind to all Gods Enemies, and love that vvhich he hates: […] And therefore God is inquiſitive; he looks for that vvhich he fain vvould never finde; God ſets ſpies upon us; he looks upon us himſelf through the Curtains of a cloud; and he ſends Angels to eſpie us in all our vvayes, […]1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, “[XXVIII Sermons Preached at Golden Grove; Being for the Summer Half-year, […].] Sermon III. The Descending and Entailed Curse Cut Off.”, in ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ [Eniautos]. A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Royston […], published 1654, →OCLC, pages 29–30:
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Obsolete To become aware of (a fact, information, etc.).
If being the Commander of an army, thou eſpieſt a groſſe and manifeſt error in thine Enemy, look vvell to thy ſelfe, for treachery is not farre off: Hee vvhom deſire of victory binds too much, is apt to ſtumble at his ovvne Ruine.1640, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “[The First Century.] Chapter LXXIII.”, in Enchiridion: Containing Institutions, Divine, Contemplative, Practical. Moral, Ethical, Oeconomicall, Politicall, London: […] R. F., published 1644, →OCLC, 1st book:
VVhat faults ſoever Thou eſpieſt here, / Fall to, and make thee merry vvith the Cheer.1648, Joseph Beaumont, “Canto XVII. The Mortification. Stanza 201.”, in Psyche: Or Loves Mysterie, […], London: […] John Dawson for George Boddington, […], →OCLC, page 330, column 1:
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O Moſt and Gracious Father, the ſearcher of all hearts; vvho ſeeſt my dovvn-lying as vvell as up riſing, darkneſs and light being both alike to thee; vvho art near unto all my vvays, and eſpyeſt my thoughts vvhile they are yet afar off, I have here ſet my ſelf before thee to pay my evening homage, […]1670, [Edward Wetenhall], “A Form of Prayer, Made as the Other, which May be Used in Our Evening Privacy”, in Enter into Thy Closet: Or, A Method and Order for Private Devotion. […], 3rd edition, London: […] John Martyn, […], →OCLC, pages 97–98:
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Archaic To observe as a spy, to spy; also, to examine or observe carefully; or to look out or watch.
O inhabitant of Aroer, ſtand by the way, and eſpie; aſke him that fleeth, and her that eſcapeth, and ſay, VVhat is done?1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 48:19, column 2:
[H]eedful be his eye, / And firm his step, who on the dark edge [of a peak] stands / Beneath the cloud, and downward dares espy.1846, [John Keble], “The Cradle Guarded”, in Lyra Innocentium: Thoughts in Verse on Christian Children, Their Ways, and Their Privileges, Oxford, Oxfordshire: John Henry Parker; London: F[rancis] and J[ohn] Rivington, →OCLC, page 75:
Etymology From Middle English aspie, espie (“covert investigation or observation, scouting, spying; information obtained through spying; secret and treacherous plan, plot; treachery; a scout or spy”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman espie, Old French espie, from espier (verb): see further at etymology 1. Cognates * Italian spia * Spanish espia
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Obsolete An act of finding out or observing by spying or looking; an espial or espying.
Howe the right and lawes of the land / Were execute, and who durſt take in hand / To diſobey his ſtatutes and decrees, / If they were well kept in all countrees: / Of theſe he made ſubtile inueſtigation / Of his owne eſpie, and other mens relation.1599, Richard Hakluyt, “After the Chapitles of Commodities of Diuers Lands, Sheweth the Conclusion of Keeping of the Sea Enuiron, by a Storie of King Edgar, and Two Incidents of King Edward the Third, and King Henrie the Fifth”, in The Principal Nauigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoueries of the English Nation, […], 2nd edition, London: […] George Bishop, Ralph Newberie, and Robert Barker, →OCLC, page 203:
When as the Eagle, Ioves great bird, did ſee her enemy, / Sharpe warre in th' ayre with beake ſhe did prepare / Gainſt Serpent feeding in the wood, after eſpy / Cauſe it her egges and young fiercely in peeces tare.1608, Edward Topsell, “Of the Winged Dragon”, in The Historie of Serpents. Or, The Second Booke of Liuing Creatures: […], London: […] William Jaggard, →OCLC, page 168:
Hobomak as confidently aſſured vs it was falſe, and ſent his vvife as an eſpy to ſee; […]1624, Iohn [i.e., John] Smith, “Here Followeth a Briefe Discourse of the Trials of New England, with Certaine Obseruations of the Hollanders Use and Gaine by Fishing, and the Present Estate of that Happy Plantation, Begun but by Sixtie Weake Men, in the Yeere of Our Lord 1620. and How to Build a Fleet of Good Ships to Make a Little Nauy Royall, by the Former Author”, in The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, →OCLC, 6th booke, page 235:
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Obsolete The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means; espionage.