espial
Americannoun
-
the act of spying.
-
the act of keeping watch; observation.
noun
-
the act or fact of being seen or discovered
-
the act of noticing
-
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.
"Cry, cries, crying, cried, crier, decrial; Shy, shyer, shyest, shyly, shyness; Fly, flies, flying, flier, high-flier; Sly, slyer, slyest, slyly, slyness; Spy, spies, spying, spied, espial; Dry, drier, driest, dryly, dryness."
From The Grammar of English Grammars by Brown, Goold
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
Not caring to be observed in his clandestine espial he drew back a little, still keeping the figure of the girl in sight, and listened to the music.
From Aunt Rachel by Murray, David Christie
Imperious Norman, that's a modern trial That's always being argued more or less; The Press keeps now such vigilant espial On every grasping would-be public plunderer.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 102, February 27, 1892 by Various
Thus urged by our despairing lord, we made Th’ espial.
From The Seven Plays in English Verse by Sophocles
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.
