spywork

English

Etymology

From spy +‎ -work.

Noun

spywork (uncountable)

1. The activities and duties relating to spies and spying.
   • 1858, Thomas Carlyle, History of Friedrich II of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, page 352:

     Lobkowitz heard of it in spite of the shut gates; for all Prag is against Belleisle, and does spywork for Lobkowitz.

   • 1986, Kirkus Reviews, page 1467:

     Just knowing that he has heard cryptobabble is enough to bring teams of assassins to Switzerland to silence the November Man, who had sworn off spywork to please Rita Macklin, his live-in lover.

   • 2007, Chris Marie Green, Night Rising: Vampire Babylon, Book 1, Ace Books, page 127:

     Sorin had assigned Galatea and the Groupies to go Above based on what he had gleaned from the spywork he had convinced the real Master to initiate last night—spywork that troubled him more than it assuaged his concerns.

See also

• espionage
• spying