the stem of the vb. used in combs., in the sense of ‘that spies’ as spy-all, -fault, -maiden, or ‘from or through which one may spy’ as spy-hole, -house, -tower, -window. Also SPY-GLASS.
(a) 1555. Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. xi. 256. Thei haue also certaine spiefaultes ordinarilie appoincted … that spie in euery shiere suche as be necligent.
1593. Passionate Morrice, 80. This Honestie is such a pestilent spie-fault.
1631. J. Done, Polydoron, 117. A Criminal shall have faultie Spy-faults Enough going to Prison.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 11. The first Thing he peeps at, thro’ this trusty Spy-all, is, the Chase’s Port-Holes.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, XI. 469. Archer shrew-tongued! spie-maiden! man of curls!
(b) 1717. Berkeley, Jrnl. Tour Italy, Wks. 1871, IV. 542. Towers … along the coast, being spy-towers against the Turks.
1867. P. Kennedy, Banks of Boro, xxxvii. 288. I got a … tumbler of punch sitting in my corner inside the spy-hole.
1888. Stevenson, Black Arrow, 125. Here and there, were spyholes, concealed, on the other side, by the carving of the cornice.
1896. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., I. 312. L is a glass spy-hole through which the inmates can be watched.
1896. R. G. Moulton, Bk. Job, Introd. 38. The eagle in her spy-house of inaccessible crags.
1903. W. Ward, Probl. & Persons, 308. Another room at Moorfields, with a spy window.
