Obs. Also 5 esspie, 3–5 ASPY. See also SPY. [a. OF. espie, f. espier: see ESPY, SPY vbs. Cf. Sp. espia, It. spia.]
1. The action of espying: espial, espionage.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melibeus, ¶ 60. In such a wyse that thou ne wante noon espye ne wacche thy body for to save.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 2558. Of here espie no thing thei wist.
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 203. Of these he made subtile inuestigation Of his owne espie, and other mens relation.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1653), 712. The Eagle … Sharp war in th’ air with beak did prepare Gainst Serpent feeding in the Wood, after espy.
b. In Wyclif the form aspye occurs often in the sense ‘snare, ambush.’
[c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 363. Aspies þat þe fend haþ leid. Ibid. (1382), Ex. xxi. 13. If eny man of avysement sle his neiȝbour and by aspyes. Ibid. (1388), Gen. iii. 15. Thou schalt sette aspies to hir heele.]
2. concr. [cf. sentinel, watch, etc.] A spy.
c. 1450. Merlin, xxviii. 575. The saisnes it wisten by theire esspies that thei hadde through the countrey.
1564. Haward, Eutropius, II. 14. Hee had apprehended the espyes of Pirrhus.
1598. Barckley, Felic. Man, II. (1603), 111. I am indeede an espie of thy couetousnesse & madnesse.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, VI. 235. [He] sent his wife as an espy to see.
1656. Hobbes, Liberty, Necess., & C. (1841), 112. This argument was sent forth only as an espy, to make a full discovery.
