spy hop

English

Noun

spy hop (plural spy hops)

1. Alternative form of spyhop
   • 2002, The Irish Naturalists' Journal, volume 27, page 189:

     Three of the spy hops were observed in quick succession on one evening at 22.45ish. On that occasion the male rotated 45° after each spy hop.

   • 2011, Sharon Hamblin, Oahu's North Shore, Hunter Publishing:

     Or you might see a spy hop, where the whale rises straight up out of the water, often turning 90-180 dgrees before slipping back down.

   • 2012, James Doyle, A Young Scientist's Guide to Defying Disasters with Skill & Daring, Gibbs Smith, page 142:

     Would you know what to do if you witnessed the spectacular sight of a whale “breaching”? Could you tell the difference between a “spy hop” and “lobtailing”?

Verb

spy hop (third-person singular simple present spy hops, present participle spy hopping, simple past and past participle spy hopped)

1. Alternative form of spyhop
   • 1992, Ross Isaacs, Tina Dalton, The Australian Guide to Whale Watching, Weldon, page 22:

     Humpbacks have inquisitive natures and will regularly spy hop to look at their surroundings, often around whale-watching boats.

   • 1997, Randy Frahm, Wildlife of North America: The Humpback Whale, Redbrick Learning, page 9:

     Humpback eyes are on the sides of their heads. They cannot always see things in front of them. Because of this, humpbacks spy hop when boats are close to them.

Anagrams

• hyppos, shoppy