envy

noun

/ˈenvi/

[uncountable]Idioms

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the feeling of wanting to be in the same situation as somebody else; the feeling of wanting something that somebody else has synonym jealousy (1)
- envy (of somebody) He couldn't conceal his envy of me.
- envy (at/of something) She felt a pang of envy at the thought of his success.
- They looked with envy at her latest purchase.
- Her colleagues were green with envy (= they had very strong feelings of envy).
Extra Examples
- Her car was an object of envy among her friends.
- Her youth and looks aroused extreme envy in her rivals.
- I detected a tinge of envy in her tone.
- I felt a twinge of envy for the people who lived there.
- I had no envy of his success.
- I look with envy on those lucky people with big families.
- I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.
- the Freudian concept of penis envy
- the envy she felt for her sister
Topics Feelingsc1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- extreme
- unconscious
- class
- …
… of envy
- tinge
- touch
- pang
- …
verb + envy
- be consumed with
- be green with
- feel
- …
preposition
- with envy
- envy at
- envy for
- …
phrases
- be the envy of somebody/something
- an object of envy
See full entry
Word OriginMiddle English (also in the sense ‘hostility, enmity’): from Old French envie (noun), envier (verb), from Latin invidia, from invidere ‘regard maliciously, grudge’, from in- ‘into’ + videre ‘to see’.

Idioms

be the envy of somebody/something

to be a person or thing that other people admire and that causes feelings of envy
- British television is the envy of the world.

envy

verb

/ˈenvi/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they envy	/ˈenvi/ /ˈenvi/
he / she / it envies	/ˈenviz/ /ˈenviz/
past simple envied	/ˈenvid/ /ˈenvid/
past participle envied	/ˈenvid/ /ˈenvid/
-ing form envying	/ˈenviɪŋ/ /ˈenviɪŋ/

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to wish you had the same qualities, possessions, opportunities, etc. as somebody else
- envy somebody He envied her—she seemed to have everything she could possibly want.
- envy something She has always envied my success.
- envy somebody (for) something I envied him his good looks.
- I secretly envied her for her good looks.
- envy somebody doing something I envy you having such a close family.
Topics Feelingsc1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- greatly
- really
- secretly
- …
preposition
- for
See full entry
to be glad that you do not have to do what somebody else has to do
- not envy somebody It's a difficult situation you're in. I don't envy you.
- not envy somebody something I don't envy her that job.

Word OriginMiddle English (also in the sense ‘hostility, enmity’): from Old French envie (noun), envier (verb), from Latin invidia, from invidere ‘regard maliciously, grudge’, from in- ‘into’ + videre ‘to see’.