also 4–5 -cion, -oun, ambitioun. [a. Fr. ambition (14th c. in Litt.), ad. L. ambitiōn-em, n. of action f. ambī-re to go round or about (see AMBIT), 1. going round, 2. going round to canvass for votes, 3. eager desire of honor, etc., 4. ostentation, pomp, 5. earnest desire generally. Of these, meaning 3 was first adopted in the modern languages; 2 is a later literary adoption directly from Latin.]
1. The ardent (in early usage, inordinate) desire to rise to high position, or to attain rank, influence, distinction or other preferment.
1340. Ayenb., 22. Ambicion, þet is kuead wilninge heȝe to cliue.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., III. viii. 323. Vicis … as pride, ambicioun, vein glorie.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s Teares, 41 a. Ambition is any puft vp greedy humour of honour or preferment.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., II. i. 22. Lowlynesse is young Ambition’s Ladder Whereto the Climber vpward turnes his Face. Ibid. (1613), Hen. VIII., III. ii. 441. Cromwel, I charge thee, fling away Ambition, By that sinne fell the Angels.
1621. Fletcher, Isl. Princ., III. i. Love and Ambition draw the devils coach.
1771. Junius Lett., xlix. 254. That kind of fame to which you have hitherto directed your ambition.
1821. Byron, Cain, II. ii. Dust! limit thy ambition.
1866. Alger, Solit. Nat. & Man, III. 120–1. Aspiration is a pure upward desire for excellence, without side-references; ambition is an inflamed desire to surpass others.
1883. Gladstone, Sp. in Parl., 26 April. A seat in this House is to the ordinary Englishman in early life … the highest prize of his ambition.
† 2. Ostentation, display of the outward tokens of position, as riches, dress; vain-glory, pomp. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Acts xxv. 23. Agrippa and Bernyce camen with moche ambicioun, or pryde of staat.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., lvii. 579 a. Costly and expensive ambitions at Court.
3. A strong or ardent desire of anything considered advantageous, honoring or creditable. Const. of (rarely for) a thing, to be or do something.
1607. Bacon, Ess., Ambition (Arb.), 226. It is lesse harmefull, the Ambition to prevaile in great Things, then that other, to appeare in every thing.
1610. Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 482. I haue no ambition To see a goodlier man.
1737. Pope, Lett., Pref. A juvenile ambition of Wit, or affectation of Gayety.
1756. Burke, Vind. Nat. Soc., Wks. I. 22. The pitiful ambition of possessing five or six thousand more acres.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch’s Lives (1879), II. 898/2. Some populous town which has an ambition for literature.
4. The object of strong desire or aspiration.
1602. Shaks., Haml., III. iii. 55. My Crowne mine own Ambition and my Queene.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, i. 21. To jest was the ambition of the best company.
1857. Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art., 37. Their pleasure is in memory, and their ambition is in heaven.
† 5. Canvassing, personal solicitation of honors. (L. ambitio.) Obs.
1531. Elyot, Governor, III. xvi. (R.). Certayne lawes were made by the Romaynes … named the lawes of ambition.
1671. Milton, Samson, 246.
| I on th’ other side | |
| Us’d no ambition to commend my deeds. |
1677. Houssaie’s Govt. Venice, 13. This bartering and ambition of Office was forbidden.
