En·vi·ous a.
1. Malignant; mischievous; spiteful. [Obs.]
Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch. --Shak.
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.
My soul is envious of mine eye. --Keble.
Neither be thou envious at the wicked. --Prov. xxiv. 19.
3. Inspiring envy. [Obs. or Poetic]
He to him leapt, and that same envious gage
Of victor's glory from him snatched away. --Spenser.
4. Excessively careful; cautious. [Obs.]
No men are so envious of their health. --Jer. Taylor.
-- En*vi*ous*ly, adv. -- En*vi*ous*ness, n.
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enviousness
n : a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have
something possessed by another [syn: envy, the
green-eyed monster]