Part 619

Covet earnestly the best gifts. 1. Cor. xxii. 31.

If it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul alive. Shak.

2. To long for inordinately or unlawfully; to hanker after (something forbidden).

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. Ex. xx. 17.

Syn. -- To long for; desire; hanker after; crave.

Cov"et, v. i. To have or indulge inordinate desire.

Which [money] while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith. 1 Tim. vi. 10.

Cov"et*a*ble (k?v"?t-?-b'l), a. That may be coveted; desirable.

Cov"et*er (-?r), n. One who covets.

Cov"et*ise (-?s), n. [OF. coveitise, F. convoitise. See Covet, v. t. ] Avarice. [Obs.] Spenser.

Cov"et*ive*ness (-?v-), n. (Phren.) Acquisitiveness.

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]

Covetous of wisdom and fair virtue. Shak.

Covetous death bereaved us all, To aggrandize one funeral. Emerson.

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

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.

Cov"et*ous*ly, adv. In a covetous manner.

Cov"et*ous*ness, n. 1. Strong desire. [R.]

When workmen strive to do better than well, They do confound their skill in covetousness. Shak.

2. A strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good; excessive desire for riches or money; -- in a bad sense.

Covetousness, by a greed of getting more, deprivess itself of the true end of getting. Sprat.

Syn. -- Avarice; cupidity; eagerness.

Cov"ey (k?v"?), n. [OF. cov&?;e, F. couv&?;e, fr. cover, F. couver, to sit or brood on, fr. L. cubare to lie down; cf. E. incubate. See Cubit, and cf. Cove to brood.] 1. A brood or hatch of birds; an old bird with her brood of young; hence, a small flock or number of birds together; -- said of game; as, a covey of partridges. Darwin.

2. A company; a bevy; as, a covey of girls. Addison.

Cov"ey, v. i. To brood; to incubate. [Obs.]

Cov"ey, n. A pantry. [Prov. Eng.] Parker.

Cov"in (k?v"?n), n. [OF. covine, covaine, fr. covenir to agree. See Covenant.] 1. (Law) A collusive agreement between two or more persons to prejudice a third.