Covetous

Covetous
Covetous Cov"et*ous (k?v"?t-?s), a. [OF. coveitos, F. convoiteux. See {Covet}, v. t.] 1. Very desirous; eager to obtain; -- used in a good sense. [Archaic] [1913 Webster]

Covetous of wisdom and fair virtue. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Covetous death bereaved us all, To aggrandize one funeral. --Emerson. [1913 Webster]

2. Inordinately desirous; excessively eager to obtain and possess (esp. money); avaricious; -- in a bad sense. [1913 Webster]

The covetous person lives as if the world were madealtogether for him, and not he for the world. --South.

Syn: Avaricious; parsimonious; penurious; misrely; niggardly. See {Avaricious}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Synonyms:
, (usually in a bad sense, though sometimes in a good sense), , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • covetous — covetous, greedy, acquisitive, grasping, avaricious mean having or manifesting a strong desire for possessions, especially material possessions. Covetous implies inordinateness of desire; very often, with allusion to the Ten Commandments, it… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • covetous — mid 13c., from O.Fr. coveitos (12c., Mod.Fr. convoiteux) desirous, covetous, from V.L. *cupiditosus, from L. cupiditas (see COVET (Cf. covet)). Related: Covetousness …   Etymology dictionary

  • covetous — index eager, illiberal, insatiable, jealous, mercenary Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • covetous — [adj] greedy; very desirous acquisitive, avaricious, avid, close fisted, eager, ensurient, envious, gluttonous, grabby, grasping, green eyed*, grudging, hogging, itchy*, jealous, keen, mercenary, piggish*, prehensile, rapacious, ravenous, selfish …   New thesaurus

  • covetous — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ longing to possess something. DERIVATIVES covetously adverb covetousness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • covetous — [kuv′ət əs] adj. [ME coveitous < OFr] tending to covet; greedy; avaricious SYN. GREEDY covetously adv. covetousness n …   English World dictionary

  • covetous — adjective Date: 13th century 1. marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another s possessions 2. having a craving for possession < covetous of power > • covetously adverb • covetousness noun Synonyms …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • covetous — [[t]kʌ̱vɪtəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED (disapproval) A covetous person has a strong desire to possess something, especially something that belongs to another person. [FORMAL] Even here a red Lamborghini Diablo sports car attracts covetous stares …   English dictionary

  • covetous — adj. covetous of * * * [ kʌvɪtəs] covetousof …   Combinatory dictionary

  • covetous — cov|et|ous [ˈkʌvıtəs] adj formal having a very strong desire to have something that someone else has ▪ They began to cast covetous eyes on their neighbours fields. >covetously adv >covetousness n [U] …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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