En·vy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Envied p. pr. & vb. n. Envying.]
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.]
6. To emulate. [Obs.]
envy
n 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]
v 1: feel envious towards; admire enviously
2: be envious of; set one's heart on [syn: begrudge]
[also: envied]