envy
(envi )
Word forms: envies , envying , envied
1. uncountable noun B2
Envy is the feeling you have when you wish you could have the same thing or quality that someone else has.
Gradually he began to acknowledge his feelings of envy towards his mother. [+ towards]
They gazed in a mixture of envy and admiration at the beauty of the statue.
Synonyms: covetousness, spite, hatred, resentment
2. verb B2
If you envy someone, you wish that you had the same things or qualities that they have.
I don't envy the young ones who've become TV superstars and know no other world. [VERB noun]
I have a rich brother and a lot of people envy the fact. [VERB noun]
He envied Caroline her peace. [VERB noun noun]
'You must've seen the world by now,' said Frannie, 'I envy you that.' [VERB noun noun]
Synonyms: be jealous (of), resent, begrudge, be envious (of)
3. singular noun
If a thing or quality is the envy of someone, they wish very much that they could have or achieve it.
...an economic expansion that was the envy of many other states. [+ of]
4. green with envy phrase
If you say that someone is green with envy, you mean that they are very envious indeed.
Image of envy
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Quotations:
Nothing sharpens sight like envyGnomologia
Our envy always lasts much longer than the happiness of those we envyMaxims
Even success softens not the heart of the enviousOdes
Idioms:
green with envy
extremely envious of something that another person has or does
This is the most unexpected discovery I have made in 20 years of digging. Archaeologists in other parts of the world will be green with envy.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Collocations:
class envy inspire envy
And can online readers really be accused of class envy for noticing that there seems to be no similar tax on caviar and blinis?
Times, Sunday Times
These people just descended into this kind of class envy mania.
Times, Sunday Times
In fairness, not all of their enthusiasm derives from class envy.
Times, Sunday Times
These appointments are not made by accident, but they inspire envy in some quarters.
Times, Sunday Times
Some felt its excess would inspire envy and stand in the way of assimilation.
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As a manager, it inspires envy in rivals and, not infrequently, resentment among your own players.
Times, Sunday Times
One survey suggests we like celebrities showing off but, when it comes to mere mortals, it inspires envy.
The Sun
Translations:
Chinese: 羡慕, 羡慕
Japanese: ねたみ, うらやむ