Enviousness

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Envious \En"vi*ous\, a. [OF. envios, F. envieux, fr. L.
     invidiosus, fr. invidia envy. See {Envy}, and cf.
     {Invidious}.]
     1. Malignant; mischievous; spiteful. [Obs.]
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              Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch.
                                                    --Shak.
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     2. Feeling or exhibiting envy; actuated or directed by, or
        proceeding from, envy; -- said of a person, disposition,
        feeling, act, etc.; jealously pained by the excellence or
        good fortune of another; maliciously grudging; -- followed
        by of, at, and against; as, an envious man, disposition,
        attack; envious tongues.
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              My soul is envious of mine eye.       --Keble.
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              Neither be thou envious at the wicked. --Prov. xxiv.
                                                    19.
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     3. Inspiring envy. [Obs. or Poetic]
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              He to him leapt, and that same envious gage
              Of victor's glory from him snatched away. --Spenser.
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     4. Excessively careful; cautious. [Obs.]
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              No men are so envious of their health. --Jer.
                                                    Taylor.
        -- {En"vi*ous*ly}, adv. -- {En"vi*ous*ness}, n.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  enviousness
       n : a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have
           something possessed by another [syn: {envy}, {the
           green-eyed monster}]