Agent vs. Spy — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Agent and Spy
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Compare with Definitions
Agent
A person who acts on behalf of another person or group
In the event of illness, a durable power of attorney enabled her nephew to act as her agent
Spy
One who secretly collects information concerning the enemies of a government or group.
Agent
A person or thing that takes an active role or produces a specified effect
Universities are usually liberal communities that often view themselves as agents of social change
Spy
One who secretly collects information for a business about one or more of its competitors.
Agent
One that acts or has the power or authority to act.
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Spy
One who secretly keeps watch on another or others.
Agent
One empowered to act for or represent another
An author's agent.
An insurance agent.
Spy
To watch or observe secretly
Was sent to spy out the enemy camp.
Agent
A means by which something is done or caused; an instrument.
Spy
To discover by close observation
"[They] are continually prowling about on all three decks, eager to spy out iniquities" (Herman Melville).
Agent
A force or substance that causes a change
A chemical agent.
An infectious agent.
Spy
To catch sight of; see
Spied the ship on the horizon.
Agent
A representative or official of a government or administrative department of a government
An FBI agent.
Spy
To engage in espionage.
Agent
A spy.
Spy
To investigate or observe something, especially in secret
Spying into the neighbor's activities.
Agent
(Linguistics) The argument that expresses the means or cause of an action or event described by a phrase or clause. The noun John is the agent in the clause John threw the ball.
Spy
A person who secretly watches and examines the actions of other individuals or organizations and gathers information on them (usually to gain an advantage).
Agent
To act as an agent or representative for
Who will agent your next book?.
Spy
(intransitive) To act as a spy.
During the Cold War, Russia and America would each spy on each other for recon.
Agent
To act as an agent or representative.
Spy
(transitive) To spot; to catch sight of.
I think I can spy that hot guy coming over here.
Agent
One who exerts power, or has the power to act
Spy
(intransitive) To search narrowly; to scrutinize.
Agent
One who acts for, or in the place of, another (the principal), by that person's authority; someone entrusted to do the business of another
Spy
(transitive) To explore; to see; to view; inspect and examine secretly, as a country.
Agent
A person who looks for work for another person
Spy
To gain sight of; to discover at a distance, or in a state of concealment; to espy; to see.
One, in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration.
Agent
Someone who works for an intelligence agency
Spy
To discover by close search or examination.
Look about with your eyes; spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England.
Agent
An active power or cause or substance; something (e.g. biological, chemical, thermal, etc.) that has the power to produce an effect
Spy
To explore; to view, inspect, and examine secretly, as a country; - usually with out.
Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof.
Agent
(computing) In the client-server model, the part of the system that performs information preparation and exchange on behalf of a client or server. Especially in the phrase “intelligent agent” it implies some kind of autonomous process which can communicate with other agents to perform some collective task on behalf of one or more humans.
Spy
To search narrowly; to scrutinize.
It is my nature's plagueTo spy into abuses.
Agent
(grammar) The participant of a situation that carries out the action in this situation, e.g. "the boy" in the sentences "The boy kicked the ball" and "The ball was kicked by the boy".
Spy
One who keeps a constant watch of the conduct of others.
Agent
(gambling) A cheat who is assisted by dishonest casino staff.
Spy
A person sent secretly into an enemy's camp, territory, or fortifications, to inspect his works, ascertain his strength, movements, or designs, and to communicate such intelligence to the proper officer.
Agent
Acting; - opposed to patient, or sustaining, action.
Spy
(military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors
Agent
One who exerts power, or has the power to act; an actor.
Heaven made us agents, free to good or ill.
Spy
A secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people;
My spies tell me that you had a good time last night
Agent
One who acts for, or in the place of, another, by authority from him; one intrusted with the business of another; a substitute; a deputy; a factor.
Spy
Catch sight of
Agent
An active power or cause; that which has the power to produce an effect, such as a physical, chemical, or medicinal agent; as, heat is a powerful agent.
Spy
Watch, observe, or inquire secretly
Agent
A chemical substance having biological effects; a drug.
Spy
Secretly collect sensitive or classified information; engage in espionage;
Spy for the Russians
Agent
An active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect;
Their research uncovered new disease agents
Agent
A substance that exerts some force or effect
Agent
A representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizations
Agent
A businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commission
Agent
Any agent or representative of a federal agency or bureau
Agent
The semantic role of the animate entity that instigates or causes the hapening denoted by the verb in the clause
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