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# spy

noun (a spy, spies); verb (spy, spies, spied, spying)

«spy» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A spy is a person who secretly collects information about another country, group or person. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#m1)
2. To spy on someone is to watch them secretly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#m2)
3. To spy something is to see or notice it: «I spy with my little eye…». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories and films spies use codes, disguises and gadgets. In history lessons spies worked in wars. In everyday life «I spy» is a guessing game. In safety and privacy lessons, spying on people's messages is wrong, and spyware can spy on your computer. Phrases: «spy on», «I spy», «a spy camera», «spy story».

### Examples

- The spy sent a secret message in code. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#x1)
- Stop spying on me! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#x2)
- Let's play «I spy» in the car. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#x3)
- I spy something beginning with «t». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#x4)
- She spied a coin under the sofa. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#x5)
- In the war, spies hid secret plans in shoes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#x6)
- The spy wore a disguise so nobody knew him. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#x7)
- “Do you suspect me of being a spy sent by the ogre?” [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/#x8)

### Note

Plural: «spies»; past: «spied» (y → i). Spying on someone's diary or phone without asking is a breach of privacy and trust.

## In Jewish tradition

In Genesis, Joseph accuses his brothers of being spies. In Numbers, it means a man sent to scout the land of Canaan before the people entered. In the Prophets, spies are sent to scout a city or a rival, as when Joshua's people looked at Beth-el, David checked on Saul, and Absalom spread spies to prepare his revolt.

**Interpretation.** The twelve scouts sent by Moses returned with a fearful report, and the people lost faith. Tradition sees this as a great sin, and the people had to wander forty years, one for each day of the scouting. Absalom's spies are read as part of his scheming to steal the throne.

### Examples

- And we said unto him: We are upright men; we are no spies. (Torah GEN.42.31, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spy/#x1)
- And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. (Torah NUM.13.25, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spy/#x2)
- We are all one man's sons; we are upright men, thy servants are no spies.' (Torah GEN.42.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spy/#x3)
- David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty. (Prophets 1SA.26.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spy/#x4)
- And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Beth-el — now the name of the city beforetime was Luz. (Prophets JDG.1.23, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spy/#x5)
- But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying: 'As soon as ye hear the sound of the horn, then ye shall say: Absalom is king in Hebron.' (Prophets 2SA.15.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spy/#x6)

### Note

Plural: «spies»; past: «spied» (y → i). Spying on someone's diary or phone without asking is a breach of privacy and trust.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «spy» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spy/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«spy» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/spy.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «spy» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spy/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«spy» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/spy.html) on Mova free.