Definition of "espionage"

So intolerable did Heavy Benson's espionage become, that Raynham would have grown depopulated of its womankind had not Adrian interfered, who pointed out to the Baronet what a fearful arm his butler was wielding.

1859, George Meredith, chapter 16, in The Ordeal of Richard Feverel. A History of Father and Son. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall

What a freak show! I mean, how often do you meet a wrestling librarian?Yeah, about as often as you meet a high schoolgirl involved in international espionage… Okay, bad example.

2003 June 20, Joseph Purdy, “Totally Switched”, in Totally Spies!, season 2, episode 19, spoken by Alexandra “Alex” (Andrea Taylor as Clover and Katie Leigh), Marathon Media, via Teletoon