a. Forms: 4–6 envyous(e, 5 -ose, (4 enviose, -vios, -vius, -vyus, -wius, 5 enviyus, -vyows, pl. envyeusis), 4– envious. Also 5 invyowse. [a. AF. envious, OF. envieus, -vius (mod.F. envieux) Pr. envejos, envios, Cat. envejos, Pg. invejoso, Sp. envidioso, It. invidioso:—L. invidiōsus, f. invidia ENVY.]
1. Full of envy, affected or actuated by envy; vexed or discontented at the good fortune or qualities of another. Const. † against, † at, of, † to with sb. or inf.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27658 (Cott.). Þe enuius man ai lufes he leste Þam þat he wate er moste honeste.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Man of Lawes T., 267. O Sathan envyous.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 53. There be other that be envious to see other in gretter degre thanne they.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 78. And … the enuyous man, for to do a displeasure to his ennemy, wyll suffre rebuke and blame.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxiv. 19. Neither be thou enuious at the wicked.
1636. Ariana, 328. They thought it envious against their repose, to have shed so much as a teare for them.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., VII. 37/32. If he blast my Muse with envious Praise.
1842. Lytton, Zanoni, 28. Our good Loredano is envious of my diamond.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 108. Envious scribes in his lifetime taunted him with avarice.
absol. a. 1300. Cursor M., 27706 (Cott.). Forþi sais Senec on þe envius, Quine [etc.].
1340. Ayenb., 28. Vor þe more þet þe guodes byeþ greate, þe more zorȝeþ þe enuious.
1816. Byron, Monody Death Sheridan. The envious who but breathe in others’ pain.
1846. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., I. Pref. (ed. 2), 14. The envious, because they like not the sound of a living man’s praise.
† 2. Full of ill-will; malicious, spiteful. Obs.
‘Still current dial. in Suffolk’ (F. Hall).
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 180. Grete scathe … Com tille Kyng R. for þat envios sawe.
c. 1430. Lydg., Chorle & Byrde (1818), 12. Hit maketh accorde betwene folk envyous.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 40. Who more envious than Tymon denouncing all humaine societie.
1673. Penn, Chr. Quaker, iv. 531. Envious Displeasure against an Harmless Suffering People.
a. 1713. Ellwood, Autobiog. (1765), 384. Printed by one of his Party with very envious Reflections upon it.
† 3. Full of emulation; emulous. Const. of.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 356. For he is suþe couetus And at þescheker enuius.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 150. Thei be envyeusis whiche shalle goo furst up on the offerande.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 318. Be enuious of the best gifts.
1821. Keats, Lamia, 217. Lycius Charioting foremost in the envious race.
† 4. Grudging, parsimonious, sparing, excessively careful. Obs.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 368. Beautie was no niggard of hir slippes in this gardein, and very enuious to other grounds.
1650. Jer. Taylor, Holy Living, 322 (W.). No Man was ever … so envious as to repine at the condition of the miserable.
† 5. Calculated to excite ill-will; invidious; odious. Obs.
1635. R. N., trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz. (ed. 3), I. 90. Which sect began presently to be knowne by the envious name of Puritans.
1640. Bp. Hall, Episc., Ep. Ded. 5. Hath put my pen upon this envious, but necessarie taske.
† 6. That is or may be an object of envy; enviable.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iv. 39. He to him lept, and that same envious gage Of victors glory from him snatcht away.
1651. Reliq. Wotton., 69. A glorious harvest … which could not but have made an envious addition.
1665. Pepys, Diary, 8 Dec. (ed. Bright), III. 327. So envious a place.
7. Comb., as envious-hearted.
1873. L. Wallace, Fair God, II. vii. 128. Time was when no envious-hearted knave could have made him believe [etc.].
