Stakeout
/ˈsteɪkˌaʊt/noun
A period of watching a place or person secretly, especially by police.
Did you know?The word is modern police slang from the 20th century, combining stake in the sense of a fixed marker or boundary post with out, originally suggesting being positioned outside and watching a place from concealment.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
staca
“a stake, post, or pointed stick driven into the ground”
Middle English
ME
stake
“a pointed piece of wood used for marking, supporting, or fastening”
Late Old English / Middle English
OE/ME
ūt
“out; outside; away from the interior”
19th Century
English
stake out
“to mark off or survey a place; later, to watch a location secretly”
20th Century
English
stakeout
“a covert surveillance operation, especially by police”