ENVIOUS • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Envious

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/ˈɛnviəs/ Listen

adjective

Envious adj.

Malignant; mischievous; spiteful. (Obs.) "Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch."

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." "Neither be thou envious at the wicked."

Inspiring envy. (Obs. or Poetic) "He to him leapt, and that same envious gage Of victor's glory from him snatched away."

Excessively careful; cautious. (Obs.) "No men are so envious of their health."

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Etymology of 'Envious'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Envious" Quotes from Famous Books

... off, gasping, with an envious glance at the cook, who, standing just inside the galley, cheerfully flaunted a saucepan he was cleaning, as though defying the mate to find him any work ...

— A Master Of Craft • W. W. Jacobs

... pity of Omnipotent God, who knows that I have written these things, which are here arranged, neither through love of human approbation, nor through desire of temporal reward, nor have I stolen anything precious or rare through envious jealousy, nor have I kept back anything reserved served for myself alone; but in augmentation of the honor and glory of His name, I have consulted the progress and hastened to aid the necessities of many men."—Ib. ...

— On the Old Road Vol. 1 (of 2) - A Collection of Miscellaneous Essays and Articles on Art and Literature • John Ruskin

... stared in astonishment. Their captain had delayed his return to don his new baseball suit, and from the spikes on his shoes to the visor of his red-trimmed cap, he was a perfect miniature of a professional player. Even John was unable to restrain an envious stare at the natty flannel shirt and knickerbockers, and ...

— A Son of the City - A Story of Boy Life • Herman Gastrell Seely

... hampered, as Miss Kite herself was, by the necessity of appearing to be somewhere between eighteen and twenty-two, this other Miss Kite could talk sensibly, even brilliantly: one felt it. A thoroughly "nice" woman this other Miss Kite; the real Miss Kite, though envious, was bound to admit it. Miss Kite wished to goodness she had never seen the woman. The glimpse of her had rendered Miss ...

— Passing of the Third Floor Back • Jerome K. Jerome

... Unvexed with dream of the rough briers that pull From his strayed lambs the wool! O, star, that tremblest dim Upon the welkin's rim, Send with thy milky shadows from above Tidings about my love; If that some envious wave Made his untimely grave, Or if, so softening half my wild regrets, Some coverlid of bluest violets Was softly put aside, What time he died! Nay, come not, piteous maids, Out of the murmurous shades; But keep your tresses crowned as you may With eglantine ...

— The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 2, May, 1851 • Various

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