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.
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 Cæsar.
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.
Such as cleanliness and decency
Prompt to a virtuous envy. Ford.
4. Public odium; ill repute.
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.