Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Espy

Espy , transitive verb

[Old French espier, French épier, from Old High German speh{not transcribed}n to watch, spy, German spahen; akin to Latin specere to look, species sight, shape, appearance, kind. See Spice, Spy, and compare Espionage.]

1.
To catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; to discover, as a distant object partly concealed, or not obvious to notice; to see at a glance; to discern unexpectedly; to spy; as, to espy land; to espy a man in a crowd.
As one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn,... he espied his money. — Gen. xlii. 27
A goodly vessel did I then espy Come like a giant from a haven broad. — Wordsworth
2.
To inspect narrowly; to examine and keep watch upon; to watch; to observe.
He sends angels to espy us in all our ways. — Jer. Taylor

Espy , intransitive verb

To look or search narrowly; to look about; to watch; to take notice; to spy.
Stand by the way, and espy. — Jer. xlviii. 19

Espy (#) , noun

[Old French espie. See Espy, v., Spy.]

A spy; a scout. [Obsolete] — Huloet