covet

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English coveten, coveiten, coveyten, from Old French covoitier (modern French convoiter), from covoitié (desire), presumably modified from Latin cupiditas.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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covet (third-person singular simple present covets, present participle coveting, simple past and past participle coveted)

  1. (transitive) To wish for with eagerness; to desire possession of, often enviously.
    • 1991, Ted Tally, The Silence of the Lambs (motion picture), spoken by Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins):
      No! He covets. That is his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer now.
  2. (transitive) To long for inordinately or unlawfully; to hanker after (something forbidden).
  3. (intransitive) To yearn; to have or indulge an inordinate desire, especially for another's possession.

Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Further reading

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