covet
/ˈkʌvɪt/ verb
Forms covets coveting coveted
- verb (transitive) To wish for with eagerness; to desire possession of, often enviously.
- verb (transitive) To long for inordinately or unlawfully; to hanker after (something forbidden).
- verb (intransitive) To yearn; to have or indulge an inordinate desire, especially for another's possession.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English coveten, coveiten, coveyten, from Old French covoitier (modern French convoiter), from covoitié (“desire”), presumably modified from Latin cupiditas.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To wish for with eagerness; to desire possession of; --used in a good sen Covet earnestly the best gifts. 1. Cor. xxii. 31.
- verb To long for inordinately or unlawfully; to hanker after (something forbidden).
- verb To have or indulge inordinate desire.
Etymology [OF. coveitier, covoitier, F. convoiter, from a derivative fr. L. cupere to desire; cf. Skr. kup to become excited. Cf. Cupidity.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “covet”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details