military A secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors.

synonym: undercover agent.

Roget 444: spectator, beholder, observer, looker-on, onlooker, witness, eyewitness, bystander, passer by; sightseer; rubberneck, rubbernecker [U.S.].    spy; sentinel etc. (warning) 668.    ... show more

Roget 668: warning, early warning, caution, caveat; notice etc. (information) 527; premonition, premonishment^†; prediction etc. 511; contraindication, lesson, dehortation^†; admonition, monition; alarm etc. 669.    handwriting on the wall, mene mene tekel upharsin, red flag, yellow flag; fog-signal, foghorn; siren; monitor, warning voice, Cassandra^†, signs of the times, Mother Cary's chickens^†, stormy petrel, bird of ill omen, gathering clouds, clouds in the horizon, death watch.    watchtower, beacon, signal post; lighthouse etc. (indication of locality) 550.    sentinel, sentry, , watch, watchman; watch and ward; watchdog, bandog^†, housedog^†; patrol, patrolman, vedette^†, picket, bivouac, scout, spy, spial^†; undercover agent, mole, plainclothesman; advanced guard, rear guard; lookout.    cautiousness etc. 864.    monitor, guard camera, radar, AWACS, spy satellite, spy-in-the-sky, U2 plane, spy plane.    ... show more

Roget 534: messenger, envoy, emissary, legate; nuncio, internuncio^†; ambassador etc. (diplomatist) 758.    marshal, flag bearer, herald, crier, trumpeter, bellman^†, pursuivant^†, parlementaire [Fr.], apparitor^†.    courier, runner; dak^†, estafette^†; Mercury, Iris, Ariel^†.    commissionaire [Fr.]; errand boy, chore boy; newsboy.    mail, overnight mail, express mail, next-day delivery; post, post office; letter bag; delivery service; United Parcel Service, UPS; Federal Express, Fedex.    telegraph, telephone; cable, wire (electronic information transmission); carrier pigeon.    [person reporting news] (news) 532 reporter, gentleman of the press, representative of the press; penny-a-liner; special correspondent, own correspondent; spy, scout; informer etc. 527.    ... show more

Roget 527: information, enlightenment, acquaintance, knowledge etc. 490; publicity etc. 531; data etc. 467.    communication, intimation; notice, notification; enunciation, annunciation; announcement; communiqu_e; representation, round robin, presentment.    case, estimate, specification, report, advice, monition; news etc. 532; return etc. (record) 551; account etc. (description) 594; statement etc. (affirmation) 535.    mention; acquainting etc. v.; instruction etc. (teaching) 537; outpouring; intercommunication, communicativeness.    informant, authority, teller, intelligencer^†, reporter, exponent, mouthpiece; informer, eavesdropper, delator, detective; sleuth; mouchard^†, spy, newsmonger; messenger etc. 534; amicus curiae [Lat.].    valet de place, cicerone, pilot, guide; guidebook, handbook; vade mecum [Lat.]; manual; map, plan, chart, gazetteer; itinerary etc. (journey) 266.    hint, suggestion, innuendo, inkling, whisper, passing word, word in the ear, subaudition^†, cue, byplay; gesture etc. (indication) 550; gentle hint, broad hint; verbum sapienti [Lat.], a word to the wise; insinuation etc. (latency) 526.    information theory.    [units of information] bit, byte, word, doubleword [Comp.], quad word, paragraph, segment.    [information storage media] magnetic media, paper medium, optical media; random access memory, RAM; read-only memory, ROM; write once read mostly memory, WORM.    ... show more

Dutch: geheim agent, dwarskijker, spion, verspieder
Polish: wywiadowca, szpieg, agent, agent wywiadu

A secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people.

Dutch: spion
Polish: inwigilator, szpieg

Catch sight of.

synonyms: descry, espy, spot.

Roget 461: make inquiry etc. n.; inquire, ask, seek, search.    look for, look about for, look out for; scan, reconnoiter, explore, sound, rummage, ransack, pry, peer, look round; look over, go over, look through, go through; spy, overhaul.    [object is a topic] ask about, inquire about.    scratch the head, slap the forehead.    look into every hole and corner, peer into every hole and corner, pry into every hole and corner; nose; trace up; search out, hunt down, hunt out, fish out, ferret out; unearth; leave no stone unturned.    seek a clue, seek a clew; hunt, track, trail, mouse, dodge, trace; follow the trail, follow the scent; pursue etc. 662; beat up one's quarters; fish for; feel for etc. (experiment) 463.    investigate; take up an inquiry, institute an inquiry, pursue an inquiry, follow up an inquiry, conduct an inquiry, carry on an inquiry, carry out an inquiry, prosecute an inquiry etc. n.; look at, look into; preexamine; discuss, canvass, agitate.    [inquire into a topic] examine, study, consider, calculate; dip into, dive into, delve into, go deep into; make sure of, probe, sound, fathom; probe to the bottom, probe to the quick; scrutinize, analyze, anatomize, dissect, parse, resolve, sift, winnow; view in all its phases, try in all its phases; thresh out.    bring in question, bring into question, subject to examination; put to the proof etc. (experiment) 463; audit, tax, pass in review; take into consideration etc. (think over) 451; take counsel etc. 695.    question, demand; put the question, pop the question, propose the question, propound the question, moot the question, start the question, raise the question, stir the question, suggest the question, put forth the question, ventilate the question, grapple with the question, go into a question.    [human object], question, put to the question, interrogate, pump; subject to interrogation, subject to examination; cross-question, cross-examine; press for an answer; give the third degree; put to the inquisition; dodge^†.    catechize.    require an answer; pick the brains of, suck the brains of; feel the pulse.    get the lay of the land; see how the wind is blowing; put one's ear to the ground.    be in question etc. adj.; undergo examination.    ... show more

Roget 441: see, behold, discern, perceive, have in sight, descry, sight, make out, discover, distinguish, recognize, spy, espy, ken [Scot.]; get a sight of, have a sight of, catch a sight of, get a glimpse of, have a glimpse of, catch a glimpse of; command a view of; witness, contemplate, speculate; cast the eyes on, set the eyes on; be a spectator of etc. 444; look on etc. (be present) 186; see sights etc. (curiosity) 455; see at a glance etc. (intelligence) 498.    look, view, eye; lift up the eyes, open one's eye; look at, look on, look upon, look over, look about one, look round; survey, scan, inspect; run the eye over, run the eye through; reconnoiter, glance round, glance on, glance over turn one's looks upon, bend one's looks upon; direct the eyes to, turn the eyes on, cast a glance.    observe etc. (attend to) 457; watch etc. (care) 459; see with one's own eyes; watch for etc. (expect) 507; peep, peer, pry, take a peep; play at bopeep^†.    look full in the face, look hard at, look intently; strain one's eyes; fix the eyes upon, rivet the eyes upon; stare, gaze; pore over, gloat on; leer, ogle, glare; goggle; cock the eye, squint, gloat, look askance.    ... show more

Dutch: gewaarworden, ontwaren

Watch, observe, or inquire secretly.

synonyms: sleuth, snoop, stag.

Dutch: spioneren

Catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes.

synonym: sight.

Secretly collect sensitive or classified information; engage in espionage.