espial
Americannoun
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the act of spying.
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the act of keeping watch; observation.
noun
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the act or fact of being seen or discovered
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the act of noticing
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the act of spying upon; secret observation
Etymology
Origin of espial
1350–1400; Middle English espiaille < Middle French. See espy, -al 2
Vocabulary lists containing espial
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Her mother’s small mind yet had an uncanny power of partial divination, gained from years of experience and espial, that irritated while it impressed.
From The Wayfarers by Cutting, Mary Stewart Doubleday
The act of espial had always been hateful to him: he preferred to trust his brethren, and it cost far less trouble.
From Brother Copas by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir
It was even possible, he thought, that, if she had not herself seen Cecily, some one in her employment had made the espial for her.
From The Emancipated by Gissing, George
Thus urged by our despairing lord, we made Th’ espial.
From The Seven Plays in English Verse by Sophocles
His rat-tat-tat brought to the door a thin yellow face, cautious in espial, through the narrow opening.
From Will Warburton by Gissing, George
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
