ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Espy

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ɪˈspaɪ/ · Part of speech verb

Quick meaning: Espy is a verb meaning 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.

Meaning

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.

More Meanings

  1. To see (someone or something) without foreplanning or unexpectedly.
  2. To observe (someone or something) as a spy; also, to examine or observe (someone or something) carefully; or to look out or watch for.
  3. To become aware of (a fact, information, etc.).
  4. (intransitive, archaic) To observe as a spy, to spy; also, to examine or observe carefully; or to look out or watch.
  5. An act of finding out or observing by spying or looking; an espial or espying.
  6. A scout or spy.
  7. (uncountable) The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means; espionage.

Example Sentences

to espy land to espy a man in a crowd
Now when they were got almoſt quite out of this Wilderneſs, Faithful chanced to caſt his eye back, and eſpied one coming after them, and he knew him.
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.
[T]hou eſpyedſt a poore drunken Begger (his belly beeing full) heyghing, leaping and dauncing, fetching ſtrange youthfull friskes, & taking care for nothing.

Word Forms

Synonyms for espy

Depending on context, synonyms include descry, discern, discover, clock, decern, goam.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include descry, spy, spot, observe, discover, notice.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.