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Webster 1913 Edition


Espy

Es-py′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Espied
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Espying
.]
[OF.
espier
, F.
épier
, from OHG.
speh[GREEK]n
to watch, spy, G.
spähen
; akin to L.
specere
to look,
species
sight, shape, appearance, kind. See
Spice
,
Spy
, and cf.
Espionage
.]
1.
To catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; to discover, as a distant object partly concealed, or not obvious to notice; to see at a glance; to discern unexpectedly; to spy;
as, to
espy
land; to
espy
a man in a crowd.
As one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, . . . he
espied
his money.
Gen. xlii. 27.
A goodly vessel did I then
espy

Come like a giant from a haven broad.
Wordsworth.
2.
To inspect narrowly; to examine and keep watch upon; to watch; to observe.
Syn. – To discern; discover; detect; descry; spy.

Es-py′

,
Verb.
I.
To look or search narrowly; to look about; to watch; to take notice; to spy.
Stand by the way, and
espy
.
Jer. xlviii. 19.

Es-py′

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Espies
(#)
.
[OF.
espie
. See
Espy
, v.,
Spy
.]
A spy; a scout.
[Obs.]
Huloet.

Webster 1828 Edition


Espy

ESPY'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. specio.]
1.
To see at a distance; to have the first sight of a thing remove. Seamen espy land as they approach it.
2.
To see or discover something intended to be hid, or in a degree concealed and not very visible; as, to espy a man in a crowd, or a thief in a wood.
3.
To discover unexpectedly.
As one of them opened his sack, he espied his money. Gen.42.
4.
To inspect narrowly; to examine and make discoveries.
Moses sent me to espy out the land, and I brought him word again. Josh. 14.

ESPY'

,
Verb.
I.
To look narrowly; to look about; to watch.
Stand by the way and espy. Jer.48.
[This word is often pronounced spy, which see.]

ESPY'

,
Noun.
A spy; a scout.

Definition 2024


espy

espy

English

Verb

espy (third-person singular simple present espies, present participle espying, simple past and past participle espied)

  1. (transitive) To catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; to discover, as a distant object partly concealed, or not obvious to notice; to see at a glance; to discern unexpectedly; to spy
    to espy land
    to espy a man in a crowd
  2. (transitive) To inspect narrowly; to examine and keep watch upon; to watch; to observe.
    • Jeremy Taylor
      He sends angels to espy us in all our ways.
  3. (intransitive) To look or search narrowly; to look about; to watch; to take notice; to spy.
    • Bible, Jer. xlviii. 19
      Stand by the way, and espy.

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