Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Feeling, expressing, or characterized by a strong or immoderate desire for the possessions of another.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Very desirous; eager for acquisition: in a good sense: as, covetous of wisdom, virtue, or learning.
- Specifically, inordinately desirous; excessively eager to obtain and possess, especially in an unlawful or unjust way; carried away by avarice.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Archaic Very desirous; eager to obtain; -- used in a good sense.
- adjective Inordinately desirous; excessively eager to obtain and possess (esp. money); avaricious; -- in a bad sense.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Inordinately
desirous ; excessively eager to obtain and possess (especially money);avaricious .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another's advantages
- adjective immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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He that is not covetous, that is satisfied with a little, that regardeth not objects provoking lust, and that is as grave as the ocean, is known as a man of self-restraint.
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 Books 4, 5, 6 and 7 Kisari Mohan [Translator] Ganguli
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If reason tells me, that it is more misery to be covetous than to be poor, as our language, by a peculiar significance of dialect, calls the covetous man the miserable man; and if I find that retaining my wealth,
Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions. Vol. V. 1634-1716 1823
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God abhorreth; that is, he speaks well of a thief and an idolater; for so the scripture calls the covetous man, who makes his money his god, and his neighbour too; a wretch, who, under the mask of frugality, scarce ever has a penny ready for the poor, though never without his hundreds and his thousands of pounds ready for a purchase.
Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions. Vol. IV. 1634-1716 1823
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– Orlando, who cared very little what was thought of him in regard to Betty, rather humoured than denied the oblique charge; but endeavoured to lead the conversation towards Mrs Lennard, whom she called a covetous cross old frump; 'and as for that,' added the woman, 'she uses that sweet child, her niece as they call her, no better than a dog.'
The Old Manor House 1793
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Elector, George, begins to be covetous, which is a sign of his death very shortly.
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther Martin Luther 1514
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The fact that they were "covetous" is here stated as the reason why they derided him, or, as it is literally,
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He put his arm round her, and stooping kissed her red lips with a kind of covetous passion.
Sir George Tressady — Volume I Humphry Ward 1885
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Yet the covetous are admired, and people like Worfeus argue for “the sky’s the limit.”
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Nuclear blasts end the "covetous" grasping for goods in one hour.
The Voice 2009
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The very first thing they do is to provide them with women, and these sell themselves for any gain, however slight "The natives are described as covetous and selfish, without neatness and not cleanly.
bilby commented on the word covetous
"Of what Benefit is it to say our Prayers regularly, go to Church, receive the Sacraments, and may be go to Confessions too; ay, Feast the Priest, and give Alms to the Poor, and yet Lye, Swear, Curse, be Drunk, Covetous, Unclean, Proud, Revengeful, Vain and Idle at the same Time?"
- William Penn, 'Fruits of Solitude'.
September 8, 2009