1. a period of secret surveillance of a place or person by police or detectives

Examples

• The police conducted a stakeout of the suspected drug dealer’s house.
• Detectives spent three nights on a stakeout waiting for the burglar to return.
• The FBI set up a stakeout across the street from the bank.
• After hours of stakeout, they finally spotted their target.
• The stakeout lasted all weekend but produced no results.
• Officers took turns during the lengthy stakeout operation.