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cov·et (kŭv′ĭt)
v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets
v.tr.
1. To feel strong or immoderate desire for (that which is another’s).
2. To wish for (something) longingly. See Synonyms at desire.
v.intr.
To covet that which is another’s.
[Middle English coveiten, from Old French coveitier, from covitie, desire, from Latin cupiditās, from cupidus, desirous, from cupere, to desire.]
cov′et·a·ble adj.
cov′et·er n.
cov′et·ing·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
covet (ˈkʌvɪt)
vb (tr) , -vets, -veting or -veted
to wish, long, or crave for (something, esp the property of another person)
[C13: from Old French coveitier, from coveitié eager desire, ultimately from Latin cupiditās cupidity]
ˈcovetable adj
ˈcoveter n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
cov•et (ˈkʌv ɪt)
v.t.
1. to desire wrongfully, inordinately, or without due regard for the rights of others: to covet another’s property.
2. to wish for, esp. eagerly.
v.i.
3. to have an inordinate or wrongful desire.
[1175–1225; Middle English coveiten < Anglo-French coveiter, Old French coveit(i)er < Vulgar Latin *cupidiētāre, v. derivative of *cupidiētās, for Latin cupiditās cupidity]
cov′et•er, n.
cov′et•ing•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
covet
Past participle: coveted
Gerund: coveting
Past Continuous
I was coveting
you were coveting
he/she/it was coveting
we were coveting
you were coveting
they were coveting
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Verb 1. covet – wish, long, or crave for (something, especially the property of another person); “She covets her sister’s house”
begrudge, envy – be envious of; set one’s heart on
drool, salivate – be envious, desirous, eager for, or extremely happy about something; “She was salivating over the raise she anticipated”
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
covet
verb long for, desire, fancy (informal), envy, crave, aspire to, yearn for, thirst for, begrudge, hanker after, lust after, set your heart on, have your eye on, would give your eyeteeth for She coveted his job so openly that conversations between them were tense.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
covetverb
1. To feel envy towards or for:
begrudge, envy, grudge.
2. To have a strong longing for:
ache, desire, hanker, long, pant, pine, want, wish, yearn.
Informal: hone.
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
covet [ˈkʌvɪt] VT → codiciar
Collins Spanish Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
covet (ˈkavit) – past tense past participle ˈcoveted – verb
to desire or wish for eagerly (especially something belonging to someone else). I coveted her fur coat.codiciarˈcovetous adjective
codiciosoˈcovetously adverb
codiciosamente, con codicia ˈcovetousness noun
codicia
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
- Mentioned in
- ache
- begrudge
- concupiscence
- covetable
- coveted
- coveter
- covetingly
- covetous
- covetously
- covetousness
- decadence
- desire
- desired
- desirer
- drool
- envy
- grudge
- hanker
- hanker after or for
- References in classic literature
- Jupiter replied, “It is lest we should seem to covet the honor for the fruit.
- View in context
- It is men of this station also who will be best assured of safety and protection; for they will neither covet what belongs to others, as the poor do; nor will others covet what is theirs, as the poor do what belongs to the rich; and thus, without plotting against any one, or having any one plot against them, they will live free from danger: for which reason Phocylides wisely wishes for the middle state, as being most productive of happiness.
- View in context
- Thwackum was encouraged to the undertaking by reflecting that to covet your neighbour’s sister is nowhere forbidden: and he knew it was a rule in the construction of all laws, that “
- View in context
- To be Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the greatest power which the world had as yet known must certainly seem, on paper, to be as brilliant a post as a man’s ambition could covet.
- View in context
- I only know it says, `Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods, nor yet his wife.
- View in context
- And again the Holy Thern on watch, should he see a victim he covets, often tramples upon the rights of the unreasoning brutes of the valley and takes his prize by foul means if he cannot gain it by fair.
- View in context
- The word we use for this craving is covet: don’t covet your neighbor’s house, spouse, or stuff.
- The forgotten wrong: Coveting is one of the deadliest sins. It’s also one of the most forgotten
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- http://www.thefreedictionary.com/covet?sr=FGy3
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