a.; also 4–6 ambicious, cyous(e, etc. [ad. Fr. ambitieux, or its orig., L. ambitiōs-us: see AMBITION and -OUS.]
1. Full of ambition, thirsting after honor or advancement; aspiring to high position.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Cor. xiii. 5. Not inblowyn … not ambicious, or coueitous of worschipis [Vulg. ambitiosa].
1484. Caxton, Curial, 6. Thambycious vanyte of the peple of the court.
1538. Bale, Thre Lawes, 1609. The first are ambycyouse prelates.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., III. ii. 95. Did this in Cæsar seeme Ambitious?
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 41. With ambitious aim Against the Throne and Monarchy of God.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 256, ¶ 7. How few ambitious men are there, who have got as much Fame as they desired.
1876. Mozley, Univ. Serm., iv. 79. An ambitious mind … wants success.
2. Strongly desirous (of something expected to bring credit or honor), eager. Const. of (for obs.) a thing; to be or do something.
1513. More, Rich. III., Wks. 1557, 65/2. His owne ambicious minde and deuise, to … take himself the crown.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., II. vii. 43. O that I were a foole, I am ambitious for a motley coat.
1651. Hobbes, Leviathan, I. xi. 48. Men that are ambitious of Military Command.
1653. Walton, Angler (1877), 51. You are such a companion … as makes me ambitious to be your scholer.
1718. Lady M. Montague, Lett., II. lvi. 86. An ambitious thirst after knowledge.
1855. H. Reed, Lect. Eng. Lit., iii. (1878), 100. The half educated are always most ambitious of long words.
3. fig. Erecting itself, as if aspiring to rise; rising, swelling, towering.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. iii. 7. I haue seene Th’ambitious Ocean swell.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, I. ii. (1616), 455. Hood an asse … So you can hide his two ambitious eares, And he shall passe for a cathedrall Doctor.
c. 1735. Pope, Mor. Ess., iv. 59. Helps th’ambitious hill the heav’ns to scale.
4. Of works of art, etc.: Displaying ambition or aspiration on the part of the author; aspiring or pretending to take a high position.
1751. Johnson, Rambl., No. 156, ¶ 7. The simplicity is embarrassed by ambitious additions.
1846. Mill, Logic, II. vii. § 4. Put off the ambitious phraseology.
Mod. This ambitious attempt ended in failure.
† 5. Circuitous, circumlocutory, ambagious. (A Latinism.) Obs. rare.
1656. Vind. Jud., in Phenix (1708), No. 24. 392. Your Worship cannot expect either prolix or polite discourses upon so sad a subject; for who can be ambitious in his own calamity?
† 6. quasi-sb. An ambitious man. Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, VIII. i. (1554), 177 a. The proud ambicious called Domician.
1563. Homilies, II. xxi. V. (1640), 307. A few ambitious, and malicious are the authours … of Rebellion.
