See espy in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
Download JSON data for espy meaning in English (20.6kB)
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "espier"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"tags": [
"adjective",
"noun"
],
"word": "espying"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "unespied"
}
],
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*speḱ-"
},
"expansion": "",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "aspien"
},
"expansion": "Middle English aspien",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "espien",
"t": "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"
},
"expansion": "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”)",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "espie, espy, espye",
"otherforms": "1"
},
"expansion": "[and other forms]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "fro",
"3": "espier",
"t": "to watch"
},
"expansion": "Old French espier (“to watch”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "fr",
"2": "épier",
"t": "to keep an eye on, watch; to spy on; (dated) to watch for"
},
"expansion": "French épier (“to keep an eye on, watch; to spy on; (dated) to watch for”)",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "VL.",
"3": "*spiāre"
},
"expansion": "Vulgar Latin *spiāre",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "frk",
"3": "*spehōn",
"t": "to look, peer; to spy"
},
"expansion": "Frankish *spehōn (“to look, peer; to spy”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*spehōną",
"t": "to look, peer; to spy"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to look, peer; to spy”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*speḱ-",
"t": "to look, observe, see"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look, observe, see”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "spy"
},
"expansion": "Doublet of spy",
"name": "doublet"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "grc",
"2": "σκέπτομαι",
"t": "to examine; to look at; to consider, think"
},
"expansion": "Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to examine; to look at; to consider, think”)",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "it",
"2": "spiare"
},
"expansion": "Italian spiare",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "la",
"2": "speciō",
"t": "to look at, observe, watch"
},
"expansion": "Latin speciō (“to look at, observe, watch”)",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "spehōn"
},
"expansion": "Old High German spehōn",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "spähen"
},
"expansion": "German spähen",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "oc",
"2": "espiar"
},
"expansion": "Occitan espiar",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "es",
"2": "espiar"
},
"expansion": "Spanish espiar",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "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.\ncognates\n* Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to examine; to look at; to consider, think”)\n* Italian spiare\n* Latin speciō (“to look at, observe, watch”)\n* Old High German spehōn (modern German spähen)\n* Occitan espiar\n* Spanish espiar",
"forms": [
{
"form": "espies",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "espying",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "espied",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "espied",
"tags": [
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "no-table-tags",
"source": "conjugation",
"tags": [
"table-tags"
]
},
{
"form": "en-conj-simple",
"source": "conjugation",
"tags": [
"inflection-template"
]
},
{
"form": "espy",
"source": "conjugation",
"tags": [
"infinitive"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "espy (third-person singular simple present espies, present participle espying, simple past and past participle espied)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"inflection_templates": [
{
"args": {
"past": "espied",
"pres_2sg_old": "espiest",
"pres_2sg_old2": "espyest",
"pres_3sg": "espies",
"pres_3sg_old": "espieth",
"pres_3sg_old2": "espyeth"
},
"name": "en-conj-simple"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "espial"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "espionage"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "spy"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "34 6 13 28 12 2 4 2",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "23 5 22 21 17 3 6 3",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 20 11 24 14 2 2 2",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Occupations",
"orig": "en:Occupations",
"parents": [
"People",
"Work",
"Human",
"Human activity",
"All topics",
"Human behaviour",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "to espy land to espy a man in a crowd",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "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",
"text": "[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; […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "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",
"text": "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: […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1767, David Crantz, “Of the Sciences of the Greenlanders”, in [John Gambold], transl., The History of Greenland: Containing a Description of the Country, and Its Inhabitants: […], London: […] [F]or the Brethren’s Society for the Furtherance of the Gospel among the Heathen; and sold by J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, § 48, page 239",
"text": "Thou eſpiedſt the ſhallop's ſcarlet ſtreamer from far, and joyfully ſhoutedſt: Behold Lars cometh!\nQuoted from Mr. Dallager the Factor’s Relation, page 46.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1880, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, “Diggaja’s Courage”, in Charu Chandra Mookerjee, transl., Durgesa Nandini: Or The Chieftain’s Daughter. […], Calcutta, West Bengal: H. M. Mookerjee & Co., →OCLC, page 62",
"text": "Bimala looked at the direction in silence. Deep and hard breathings entered her ear, and she espied something near the road.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1893, Horatio Alger, Jr., “The Casket of Jewels”, in Cast upon the Breakers, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Company, published 1974, page 44",
"text": "\"Ha!\" said John, espying the open casket, \"where did you get all that jewelry?\"",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2011 May 1, Alice Rawsthorn, “Skull and crossbones as branding tool”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-05-10",
"text": "By the turn of the 18th century, when Captain [John] Cranby espied [Emanuel] Wynn's skull and crossbones, the piracy trade was flourishing and ambitious pirates were becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way they operated.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"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."
],
"id": "en-espy-en-verb--BUjUgbB",
"links": [
[
"find out",
"find out"
],
[
"observe",
"observe#Verb"
],
[
"easy",
"easy#Adjective"
],
[
"see",
"see#Verb"
],
[
"spying",
"spy#Verb"
],
[
"looking",
"look#Verb"
],
[
"catch sight of",
"catch sight of"
],
[
"spot",
"spot#Verb"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive)",
"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."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "descry"
},
{
"word": "discern"
},
{
"word": "discover"
},
{
"word": "spot"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "sǎziram",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "съзирам"
},
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "zabeljazvam",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "забелязвам"
},
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "bespeuren"
},
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "waarnemen"
},
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "espiar"
},
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "espreitar"
},
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "axexar"
},
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "esculcar"
},
{
"_dis1": "72 5 12 1 10",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "prospicio"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "34 6 13 28 12 2 4 2",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "23 5 22 21 17 3 6 3",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 20 11 24 14 2 2 2",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Occupations",
"orig": "en:Occupations",
"parents": [
"People",
"Work",
"Human",
"Human activity",
"All topics",
"Human behaviour",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly."
],
"id": "en-espy-en-verb-brM-huul",
"links": [
[
"foreplan",
"foreplan"
],
[
"unexpectedly",
"unexpectedly"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive)",
"To see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "15 81 2 0 2",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "sǎziram",
"sense": "to see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly",
"word": "съзирам"
},
{
"_dis1": "15 81 2 0 2",
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "to see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly",
"word": "få syn på"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"glosses": [
"To observe (someone or something) as a spy; also, to examine or observe (someone or something) carefully; or to look out or watch for."
],
"id": "en-espy-en-verb-nDsvof4R",
"links": [
[
"spy",
"spy#Noun"
],
[
"examine",
"examine"
],
[
"carefully",
"carefully"
],
[
"look",
"look#Verb"
],
[
"watch",
"watch#Verb"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive)",
"(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."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "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",
"text": "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, […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To become aware of (a fact, information, etc.)."
],
"id": "en-espy-en-verb-IEJjlynp",
"links": [
[
"become",
"become"
],
[
"aware",
"aware"
],
[
"fact",
"fact#Noun"
],
[
"information",
"information"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive)",
"(obsolete)",
"To become aware of (a fact, information, etc.)."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"glosses": [
"To observe as a spy, to spy; also, to examine or observe carefully; or to look out or watch."
],
"id": "en-espy-en-verb-CXAH4ZU8",
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive, archaic) To observe as a spy, to spy; also, to examine or observe carefully; or to look out or watch."
],
"tags": [
"archaic",
"intransitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ɪˈspaɪ/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ɛ-/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/əˈspaɪ/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ɛ-/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-aɪ"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-espy.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "espie"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "18 3 38 1 41",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "razgleždam",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "разглеждам"
},
{
"_dis1": "18 3 38 1 41",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "nabljudavam",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "наблюдавам"
},
{
"_dis1": "18 3 38 1 41",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "onderzoeken"
},
{
"_dis1": "18 3 38 1 41",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "bespioneren"
},
{
"_dis1": "18 3 38 1 41",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "prospicio"
}
],
"word": "espy"
}
{
"etymology_number": 2,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "aspie"
},
"expansion": "Middle English aspie",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "espie",
"t": "covert investigation or observation, scouting, spying; information obtained through spying; secret and treacherous plan, plot; treachery; a scout or spy"
},
"expansion": "espie (“covert investigation or observation, scouting, spying; information obtained through spying; secret and treacherous plan, plot; treachery; a scout or spy”)",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "aspy, esspie",
"otherforms": "1"
},
"expansion": "[and other forms]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "xno",
"3": "espie"
},
"expansion": "Anglo-Norman espie",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "fro",
"3": "espie"
},
"expansion": "Old French espie",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "fro",
"2": "espier",
"pos": "verb"
},
"expansion": "espier (verb)",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "it",
"2": "spia"
},
"expansion": "Italian spia",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "es",
"2": "espia"
},
"expansion": "Spanish espia",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "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],\nfrom Anglo-Norman espie, Old French espie, from espier (verb): see further at etymology 1.\ncognates\n* Italian spia\n* Spanish espia",
"forms": [
{
"form": "espies",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "~"
},
"expansion": "espy (countable and uncountable, plural espies)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "34 6 13 28 12 2 4 2",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "23 5 22 21 17 3 6 3",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 20 11 24 14 2 2 2",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Occupations",
"orig": "en:Occupations",
"parents": [
"People",
"Work",
"Human",
"Human activity",
"All topics",
"Human behaviour",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"An act of finding out or observing by spying or looking; an espial or espying."
],
"id": "en-espy-en-noun-e6JTf3s1",
"links": [
[
"act",
"act#Noun"
],
[
"finding out",
"find out"
],
[
"observing",
"observing#Noun"
],
[
"spying",
"spy#Verb"
],
[
"looking",
"look#Verb"
],
[
"espial",
"espial"
],
[
"espying",
"espying#Noun"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(countable)",
"An act of finding out or observing by spying or looking; an espial or espying."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"obsolete",
"uncountable"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "26 20 11 24 14 2 2 2",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Occupations",
"orig": "en:Occupations",
"parents": [
"People",
"Work",
"Human",
"Human activity",
"All topics",
"Human behaviour",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A scout or spy."
],
"id": "en-espy-en-noun-VUHmZKMH",
"links": [
[
"scout",
"scout#Noun"
],
[
"spy",
"spy#Noun"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(countable)",
"A scout or spy."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"obsolete",
"uncountable"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "34 6 13 28 12 2 4 2",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "23 5 22 21 17 3 6 3",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 20 11 24 14 2 2 2",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Occupations",
"orig": "en:Occupations",
"parents": [
"People",
"Work",
"Human",
"Human activity",
"All topics",
"Human behaviour",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means; espionage."
],
"id": "en-espy-en-noun-haiDYWB3",
"links": [
[
"process",
"process#Noun"
],
[
"learning",
"learn#Verb"
],
[
"secret",
"secret#Adjective"
],
[
"information",
"information"
],
[
"clandestine",
"clandestine"
],
[
"means",
"means#Noun"
],
[
"espionage",
"espionage"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(uncountable) The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means; espionage."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"uncountable"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ɪˈspaɪ/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ɛ-/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/əˈspaɪ/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ɛ-/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-aɪ"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-espy.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "espy"
}
{
"categories": [
"English 2-syllable words",
"English countable nouns",
"English doublets",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English obsolete terms",
"English terms derived from Anglo-Norman",
"English terms derived from Frankish",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old French",
"English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"English terms derived from Vulgar Latin",
"English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *speḱ-",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms with IPA pronunciation",
"English terms with audio links",
"English uncountable nouns",
"English verbs",
"Rhymes:English/aɪ",
"Rhymes:English/aɪ/2 syllables",
"en:Occupations"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "espier"
},
{
"tags": [
"adjective",
"noun"
],
"word": "espying"
},
{
"word": "unespied"
}
],
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*speḱ-"
},
"expansion": "",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "aspien"
},
"expansion": "Middle English aspien",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "espien",
"t": "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"
},
"expansion": "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”)",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "espie, espy, espye",
"otherforms": "1"
},
"expansion": "[and other forms]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "fro",
"3": "espier",
"t": "to watch"
},
"expansion": "Old French espier (“to watch”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "fr",
"2": "épier",
"t": "to keep an eye on, watch; to spy on; (dated) to watch for"
},
"expansion": "French épier (“to keep an eye on, watch; to spy on; (dated) to watch for”)",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "VL.",
"3": "*spiāre"
},
"expansion": "Vulgar Latin *spiāre",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "frk",
"3": "*spehōn",
"t": "to look, peer; to spy"
},
"expansion": "Frankish *spehōn (“to look, peer; to spy”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*spehōną",
"t": "to look, peer; to spy"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to look, peer; to spy”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*speḱ-",
"t": "to look, observe, see"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look, observe, see”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "spy"
},
"expansion": "Doublet of spy",
"name": "doublet"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "grc",
"2": "σκέπτομαι",
"t": "to examine; to look at; to consider, think"
},
"expansion": "Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to examine; to look at; to consider, think”)",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "it",
"2": "spiare"
},
"expansion": "Italian spiare",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "la",
"2": "speciō",
"t": "to look at, observe, watch"
},
"expansion": "Latin speciō (“to look at, observe, watch”)",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "spehōn"
},
"expansion": "Old High German spehōn",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "spähen"
},
"expansion": "German spähen",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "oc",
"2": "espiar"
},
"expansion": "Occitan espiar",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "es",
"2": "espiar"
},
"expansion": "Spanish espiar",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "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.\ncognates\n* Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to examine; to look at; to consider, think”)\n* Italian spiare\n* Latin speciō (“to look at, observe, watch”)\n* Old High German spehōn (modern German spähen)\n* Occitan espiar\n* Spanish espiar",
"forms": [
{
"form": "espies",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "espying",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "espied",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "espied",
"tags": [
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "no-table-tags",
"source": "conjugation",
"tags": [
"table-tags"
]
},
{
"form": "en-conj-simple",
"source": "conjugation",
"tags": [
"inflection-template"
]
},
{
"form": "espy",
"source": "conjugation",
"tags": [
"infinitive"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "espy (third-person singular simple present espies, present participle espying, simple past and past participle espied)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"inflection_templates": [
{
"args": {
"past": "espied",
"pres_2sg_old": "espiest",
"pres_2sg_old2": "espyest",
"pres_3sg": "espies",
"pres_3sg_old": "espieth",
"pres_3sg_old2": "espyeth"
},
"name": "en-conj-simple"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"word": "espial"
},
{
"word": "espionage"
},
{
"word": "spy"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "to espy land to espy a man in a crowd",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "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",
"text": "[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; […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "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",
"text": "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: […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1767, David Crantz, “Of the Sciences of the Greenlanders”, in [John Gambold], transl., The History of Greenland: Containing a Description of the Country, and Its Inhabitants: […], London: […] [F]or the Brethren’s Society for the Furtherance of the Gospel among the Heathen; and sold by J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, § 48, page 239",
"text": "Thou eſpiedſt the ſhallop's ſcarlet ſtreamer from far, and joyfully ſhoutedſt: Behold Lars cometh!\nQuoted from Mr. Dallager the Factor’s Relation, page 46.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1880, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, “Diggaja’s Courage”, in Charu Chandra Mookerjee, transl., Durgesa Nandini: Or The Chieftain’s Daughter. […], Calcutta, West Bengal: H. M. Mookerjee & Co., →OCLC, page 62",
"text": "Bimala looked at the direction in silence. Deep and hard breathings entered her ear, and she espied something near the road.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1893, Horatio Alger, Jr., “The Casket of Jewels”, in Cast upon the Breakers, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Company, published 1974, page 44",
"text": "\"Ha!\" said John, espying the open casket, \"where did you get all that jewelry?\"",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2011 May 1, Alice Rawsthorn, “Skull and crossbones as branding tool”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-05-10",
"text": "By the turn of the 18th century, when Captain [John] Cranby espied [Emanuel] Wynn's skull and crossbones, the piracy trade was flourishing and ambitious pirates were becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way they operated.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"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."
],
"links": [
[
"find out",
"find out"
],
[
"observe",
"observe#Verb"
],
[
"easy",
"easy#Adjective"
],
[
"see",
"see#Verb"
],
[
"spying",
"spy#Verb"
],
[
"looking",
"look#Verb"
],
[
"catch sight of",
"catch sight of"
],
[
"spot",
"spot#Verb"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive)",
"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."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "descry"
},
{
"word": "discern"
},
{
"word": "discover"
},
{
"word": "spot"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English transitive verbs"
],
"glosses": [
"To see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly."
],
"links": [
[
"foreplan",
"foreplan"
],
[
"unexpectedly",
"unexpectedly"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive)",
"To see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"glosses": [
"To observe (someone or something) as a spy; also, to examine or observe (someone or something) carefully; or to look out or watch for."
],
"links": [
[
"spy",
"spy#Noun"
],
[
"examine",
"examine"
],
[
"carefully",
"carefully"
],
[
"look",
"look#Verb"
],
[
"watch",
"watch#Verb"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive)",
"(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."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "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",
"text": "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, […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To become aware of (a fact, information, etc.)."
],
"links": [
[
"become",
"become"
],
[
"aware",
"aware"
],
[
"fact",
"fact#Noun"
],
[
"information",
"information"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive)",
"(obsolete)",
"To become aware of (a fact, information, etc.)."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with archaic senses"
],
"glosses": [
"To observe as a spy, to spy; also, to examine or observe carefully; or to look out or watch."
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive, archaic) To observe as a spy, to spy; also, to examine or observe carefully; or to look out or watch."
],
"tags": [
"archaic",
"intransitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ɪˈspaɪ/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ɛ-/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/əˈspaɪ/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ɛ-/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-aɪ"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-espy.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "espie"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "sǎziram",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "съзирам"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "zabeljazvam",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "забелязвам"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "bespeuren"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "waarnemen"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "espiar"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "espreitar"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "axexar"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "esculcar"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "to find out or observe (something, especially if not easy to see) by spying or looking",
"word": "prospicio"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "sǎziram",
"sense": "to see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly",
"word": "съзирам"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "to see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly",
"word": "få syn på"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "razgleždam",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "разглеждам"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "nabljudavam",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "наблюдавам"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "onderzoeken"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "bespioneren"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "to examine or observe carefully",
"word": "prospicio"
}
],
"word": "espy"
}
{
"categories": [
"English 2-syllable words",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English obsolete terms",
"English terms derived from Anglo-Norman",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old French",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms with IPA pronunciation",
"English terms with audio links",
"English uncountable nouns",
"Rhymes:English/aɪ",
"Rhymes:English/aɪ/2 syllables",
"en:Occupations"
],
"etymology_number": 2,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "aspie"
},
"expansion": "Middle English aspie",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "espie",
"t": "covert investigation or observation, scouting, spying; information obtained through spying; secret and treacherous plan, plot; treachery; a scout or spy"
},
"expansion": "espie (“covert investigation or observation, scouting, spying; information obtained through spying; secret and treacherous plan, plot; treachery; a scout or spy”)",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "aspy, esspie",
"otherforms": "1"
},
"expansion": "[and other forms]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "xno",
"3": "espie"
},
"expansion": "Anglo-Norman espie",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "fro",
"3": "espie"
},
"expansion": "Old French espie",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "fro",
"2": "espier",
"pos": "verb"
},
"expansion": "espier (verb)",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "it",
"2": "spia"
},
"expansion": "Italian spia",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "es",
"2": "espia"
},
"expansion": "Spanish espia",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "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],\nfrom Anglo-Norman espie, Old French espie, from espier (verb): see further at etymology 1.\ncognates\n* Italian spia\n* Spanish espia",
"forms": [
{
"form": "espies",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "~"
},
"expansion": "espy (countable and uncountable, plural espies)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns"
],
"glosses": [
"An act of finding out or observing by spying or looking; an espial or espying."
],
"links": [
[
"act",
"act#Noun"
],
[
"finding out",
"find out"
],
[
"observing",
"observing#Noun"
],
[
"spying",
"spy#Verb"
],
[
"looking",
"look#Verb"
],
[
"espial",
"espial"
],
[
"espying",
"espying#Noun"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(countable)",
"An act of finding out or observing by spying or looking; an espial or espying."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"obsolete",
"uncountable"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns"
],
"glosses": [
"A scout or spy."
],
"links": [
[
"scout",
"scout#Noun"
],
[
"spy",
"spy#Noun"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(countable)",
"A scout or spy."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"obsolete",
"uncountable"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English uncountable nouns"
],
"glosses": [
"The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means; espionage."
],
"links": [
[
"process",
"process#Noun"
],
[
"learning",
"learn#Verb"
],
[
"secret",
"secret#Adjective"
],
[
"information",
"information"
],
[
"clandestine",
"clandestine"
],
[
"means",
"means#Noun"
],
[
"espionage",
"espionage"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(uncountable) The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means; espionage."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"uncountable"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ɪˈspaɪ/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ɛ-/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/əˈspaɪ/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ɛ-/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-aɪ"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-espy.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-espy.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "espy"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-30 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (210104c and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.