spying

spying — verb

1. to secretly watch a country, government, or organization in order to collect inf

1.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to secretly watch a country, government, or organization in order to collect information and pass it to another party, usually a rival or enemy.

例句

A foreign journalist was arrested and charged with spying on military bases in the capital.

collocation: charged with spying on

During the Cold War, Hassan spied for his government while working abroad as a diplomat.

pattern: spy + for + employer country

同義詞

文法句型

spy + on + country/organization (target)

spy + for + country/organization (employer)

用法筆記

Subject is typically a person who works for an intelligence service. The preposition on marks the target being watched; for marks the employer that receives the information. This sense is also commonly used in legal contexts: charged with spying, accused of spying.

常見錯誤

❌He was arrested for spying against the government.
✅He was arrested for spying on the government.
💡The preposition for introduces the employer, not the target. Use on for the party being watched.

2. to secretly watch a person in order to find out what they are doing, especially

2.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to secretly watch a person in order to find out what they are doing, especially when the watcher has no right to know.

例句

Andrew caught his younger brother spying on a private conversation through the bedroom door.

collocation: catch someone spying on

A jealous neighbour was seen spying on the family with a pair of binoculars.

同義詞
  • snoop on

    less serious; often used for casual or nosy behaviour rather than systematic watching

  • eavesdrop on

    refers specifically to listening, not watching

  • watch secretly

    more literal and less idiomatic

反義詞

文法句型

spy + on + person / personal activity

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1 (SECRET INTELLIGENCE), this sense applies to personal or domestic situations — watching a neighbour, partner, or colleague. The object is typically a single person or their private activity, not a country or organization.

常見錯誤

❌The government was spying in its citizens.
✅The government was spying on its citizens.
💡Spying always takes on (target), not in.

3. to manage to see someone or something that is difficult to notice because they a

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to manage to see someone or something that is difficult to notice because they are far away, partly hidden, or moving quickly.

例句

From the cliff top, Ayesha spied a pod of dolphins swimming far out at sea.

pattern: spied + noun phrase (distant object)

Through the binoculars, Christopher spied a rare bird perched on a distant branch.

同義詞
  • spot

    everyday equivalent; less literary and more common in conversation

  • catch sight of

    emphasises the effort or brief duration of seeing

  • glimpse

    verb form; suggests a very brief view, often of something moving

反義詞
  • miss

    to fail to see something

文法句型

spy + noun phrase (object seen with effort)

用法筆記

This sense is the only transitive use of spying — it takes a direct object without a preposition and the verb appears in past tense (spied) more often than in -ing form. Distinguish from sense 2: here the watching is accidental or observational, not secretive or hostile.

常見錯誤

❌I spied my friend at the dinner party.' (too formal for a casual situation)
✅I spotted my friend at the dinner party.
💡Spy in this sense carries a literary or narrative tone; spot is the everyday word for noticing.