TIL: John le Carre - famed author of Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy amongst many others - apparently either invented the word, the spy context for, or popularised the use of, many of the words and phrases that we - and actual intelligence organisations - now use within that domain every day.
Here’s a list from his work, along with some definitions:
- Mole: a “deep-penetration” infiltrator, or inside agent.
- To come in from the cold: to return to normal life following a difficult period (such as an undercover assignment).
- Honey pot: seduction in order to gain information
- Pavement artists: agents skilled at blending in with the crowd or street scene to follow a target.
- Sweating: using special techniques to get a suspect to spill the beans
- Babysitter: a spy who remains out of sight in order to protect another
- The cousins: The CIA.
- The circus: MI6
- Scalphunters: those responsible for MI6’s dirty work: assassination, burglary, abduction etc/
- Lamplighter: a surveillance agent
Definitions taken from Merriam-Webster, Hindustan Times, Telegraph as well as the original Oregon Live article linked above.