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Envy - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Envy : (noun)
1: a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have
something possessed by another [syn: enviousness, the
green-eyed monster]
2: spite and resentment at seeing the success of another
(personified as one of the deadly sins) [syn: invidia]
(verb)
1: feel envious towards; admire enviously
2: be envious of; set one's heart on [syn: begrudge]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Envy : \En"vy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Envied; p. pr. & vb. n.
Envying.] [F. envier.]
1. To feel envy at or towards; to be envious of; to have a
feeling of uneasiness or mortification in regard to (any
one), arising from the sight of another's excellence or
good fortune and a longing to possess it.
A woman does not envy a man for his fighting
courage, nor a man a woman for her beauty.
--Collier.
Whoever envies another confesses his superiority.
--Rambler.
2. To feel envy on account of; to have a feeling of grief or
repining, with a longing to possess (some excellence or
good fortune of another, or an equal good fortune, etc.);
to look with grudging upon; to begrudge.
I have seen thee fight, When I have envied thy
behavior. --Shak.
Jeffrey . . . had actually envied his friends their
cool mountain breezes. --Froude.
3. To long after; to desire strongly; to covet.
Or climb his knee the envied kiss to share. --T.
Gray.
4. To do harm to; to injure; to disparage. [Obs.]
If I make a lie To gain your love and envy my best
mistress, Put me against a wall. --J. Fletcher.
5. To hate. [Obs.] --Marlowe.
6. To emulate. [Obs.] --Spenser.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Envy : \En"vy\, n.; pl. Envies. [F. envie, L. invidia envious;
akin to invidere to look askance at, to look with enmity; in
against _ videre to see. See Vision.]
1. Malice; ill will; spite. [Obs.]
If he evade us there, Enforce him with his envy to
the people. --Shak.
2. Chagrin, mortification, discontent, or uneasiness at the
sight of another's excellence or good fortune, accompanied
with some degree of hatred and a desire to possess equal
advantages; malicious grudging; -- usually followed by of;
as, they did this in envy of C[ae]sar.
Envy is a repining at the prosperity or good of
another, or anger and displeasure at any good of
another which we want, or any advantage another hath
above us. --Ray.
No bliss Enjoyed by us excites his envy more.
--Milton.
Envy, to which the ignoble mind's a slave, Is
emulation in the learned or brave. --Pope.
3. Emulation; rivalry. [Obs.]
Such as cleanliness and decency Prompt to a virtuous
envy. --Ford.
4. Public odium; ill repute. [Obs.]
To lay the envy of the war upon Cicero. --B. Jonson.
5. An object of envious notice or feeling.
This constitution in former days used to be the envy
of the world. --Macaulay.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Envy : \En"vy\, v. i.
1. To be filled with envious feelings; to regard anything
with grudging and longing eyes; -- used especially with
at.
Who would envy at the prosperity of the wicked?
--Jer. Taylor.
2. To show malice or ill will; to rail. [Obs.] ``He has . . .
envied against the people.'' --Shak.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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