Envy \En"vy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Envied; p. pr. & vb. n. Envying.]

[F. envier.]

1. To feel envy at or towards; to be envious of; to have a feeling of uneasiness or mortification in regard to (any one), arising from the sight of another's excellence or good fortune and a longing to possess it.

A woman does not envy a man for his fighting courage, nor a man a woman for her beauty. --Collier.

Whoever envies another confesses his superiority. --Rambler.

2. To feel envy on account of; to have a feeling of grief or repining, with a longing to possess (some excellence or good fortune of another, or an equal good fortune, etc.); to look with grudging upon; to begrudge.

I have seen thee fight, When I have envied thy behavior. --Shak.

Jeffrey . . . had actually envied his friends their cool mountain breezes. --Froude.

3. To long after; to desire strongly; to covet.

Or climb his knee the envied kiss to share. --T. Gray.

4. To do harm to; to injure; to disparage. [Obs.]

If I make a lie To gain your love and envy my best mistress, Put me against a wall. --J. Fletcher.

5. To hate. [Obs.]

--Marlowe.

6. To emulate. [Obs.]

--Spenser.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Envy \En"vy\, n.; pl. Envies. [F. envie, L. invidia envious; akin to invidere to look askance at, to look with enmity; in against + videre to see. See Vision.]

1. Malice; ill will; spite. [Obs.]

If he evade us there, Enforce him with his envy to the people. --Shak.

2. Chagrin, mortification, discontent, or uneasiness at the sight of another's excellence or good fortune, accompanied with some degree of hatred and a desire to possess equal advantages; malicious grudging; -- usually followed by of; as, they did this in envy of C[ae]sar.

Envy is a repining at the prosperity or good of another, or anger and displeasure at any good of another which we want, or any advantage another hath above us. --Ray.

No bliss Enjoyed by us excites his envy more. --Milton.

Envy, to which the ignoble mind's a slave, Is emulation in the learned or brave. --Pope.

3. Emulation; rivalry. [Obs.]

Such as cleanliness and decency Prompt to a virtuous envy. --Ford.

4. Public odium; ill repute. [Obs.]

To lay the envy of the war upon Cicero. --B. Jonson.

5. An object of envious notice or feeling.

This constitution in former days used to be the envy of the world. --Macaulay.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Envy \En"vy\, v. i.

1. To be filled with envious feelings; to regard anything with grudging and longing eyes; -- used especially with at.

Who would envy at the prosperity of the wicked? --Jer. Taylor.

2. To show malice or ill will; to rail. [Obs.]

``He has . . . envied against the people.'' --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)