espy
Espy (verb) means 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.
Etymology
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
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of espy?
"espy" (verb) means 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.
What are the different meanings of espy?
"espy" has 3 main meanings: 1. 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; 2. To see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly; 3. To observe (someone or something) as a spy; also, to examine or observe (someone or something) carefully; or to look out or watch for.