envious

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Feeling or exhibiting envy; jealously desiring the excellence or good fortune of another; maliciously grudging.

   An envious man, disposition, or attack; envious tongues.

2. 2
   adj

   Excessively careful; cautious.

   For no man was ever so amorous, as to love a toad; none so envious, as to repine at the condition of the miserable.

3. 3
   adj

   Malignant; mischievous; spiteful.

   Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch.

4. 4
   adj

   Inspiring envy.

   He to him leapt, and that same envious gage / Of victors glory from him snatcht away.

From Middle English envious, from Anglo-Norman envious, from Old French envieus, envious (modern French envieux), from Latin invidiōsus; more at envy. Doublet of invidious, borrowed directly from Latin. Displaced native Old English æfestiġ.

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