Forms: 3 spiare, 4 spiere, 4–7, 9 spier; 4 spyere, 5 spyar, -our, 5, 9 spyer. [f. SPY v. + -ER, or ad. OF. espierre, espieur (mod.F. épieur), whence also MDu. spierre, spiere, spier (later spieder).] One who spies or spies out; an espier; a spy.
c. 1275. Lay., 1488. Spiares he sende to þis kinges ferde, to witen of his farecostes, ware he wolden fihte. Þeos spiares verden, & sone aȝein comen.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 150. For prest is a spyere in his castel, to loke ofer perels of schepe. Ibid. (1382), 1 Esdr. viii. 31. The hond of oure God … deliuerede vs fro the hond of the enemy and of the spiere in the weie.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XI. xii. (Tollem. MS.). Myste is frende to þeuis and euel doares, for he hideþ here spieris and waytynges.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xxvii. 102 (Harl. MS.). He sente wacchemen & spyeris to fecche him.
1490. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 173. Johne Hammilton callit Master Spyar. Ibid. (1496), 305. Giffin to the Maister Spyour.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. xiii. (Arb.), 46. These terrene and base gods [Satyrs] being conuersant with mans affaires, and spiers out of all their secret faults.
1621. R. Bolton, Stat. Irel., 70. Upon paine of forfeiture of the said wares,… halfe to the King, and the other halfe to the spier and finder of the same.
1850. A. H. Clough, Dipsychus, IV. (1871), 110. I let them slip, Like an unpractised spyer through a glass.
