espionage
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es·pio·nage (es′pē ə näz̸h′, -näj′)
noun
- the act of spying
- the use of spies by a government to learn the military secrets of other nations
- ☆ the use of spies in industry or commerce to learn the secrets of other companies
Etymology: Fr espionnage < espionner, to spy < espion < It spione < spia, spy < Gmc *speha, akin to OHG spehon: see spy
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Alternate definitions:
Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Converse of object
- commit: The couple were charged with conspiracy to commit espionage.
Preposition: on
- behalf: Many were tortured to force them to confess to crimes such as treason or espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union.
Adjective modifier
- industrial: E-mail may also be an ideal medium for industrial espionage.
Modifies a noun
- thriller: Krasnoyarsk Surely worthy of the opening chapter of a cold war espionage thriller.
Noun used with modifier
- computer: The bestseller The Cuckoo's Egg described a recent computer espionage attempt.
The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.
There is no place where espionage is not possible.
Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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MLA Style
"espionage." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009
- Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
- <www.yourdictionary.com/espionage>
APA Style
espionage. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary
- Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/espionage
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