What is "enviousness"

Envious \En"vi*ous\, a. [OF. envios, F. envieux, fr. L. invidiosus, fr. invidia envy. See Envy, and cf. Invidious.]

1. Malignant; mischievous; spiteful. [Obs.]

   Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch.
   --Shak.

2. Feeling or exhibiting envy; actuated or directed by, or proceeding from, envy; -- said of a person, disposition, feeling, act, etc.; jealously pained by the excellence or good fortune of another; maliciously grudging; -- followed by of, at, and against; as, an envious man, disposition, attack; envious tongues.

   My soul is envious of mine eye.
   --Keble.

   Neither be thou envious at the wicked.
   --Prov. xxiv. 19.

3. Inspiring envy. [Obs. or Poetic]

   He to him leapt, and that same envious gage Of victor's glory from him snatched away.
   --Spenser.

4. Excessively careful; cautious. [Obs.]

   No men are so envious of their health.
   --Jer. Taylor. -- En"vi*ous*ly, adv. -- En"vi*ous*ness, n.

n. The state of being envious.

n. a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something possessed by another [syn: envy, the green-eyed monster]