espied

Leave it to van Gogh to turn a tree he espied in the landscape into a profound mystery, bringing new life to an ancient symbol.

Discerning blurry outlines in Himalayan mountain zones, gullible visitors uttered: “Just look! We’ve finally espied proof! The abominable snowman eXists!”

Yet for decades, the roles of these plentiful cells remained as mysterious as when Virchow first espied the structures.

Another man was a day from home when he espied the slave patrol approaching upon the road; and he repaired into a yard and split wood until they passed.

And even as he espied them and came swooping down, he saw them fall, worn out, or choked with fumes and heat, or stricken down by despair at last, hiding their eyes from death.