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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡ENVY, n., v. Used as in Eng. but often with the pronunciation [ən′vɑɪ.] (Sh.¹⁰ (as v.), Ork.¹, Abd.²⁷, Ags.¹⁹, Fif.¹⁰, Slg.³ 1943); “the older accentuation survived into the 17th cent. and is still common dialectically” (N.E.D.). So also envious [ɛn′vɑeəs] in 1710 quot.Edb. 1710 J. Monro Letters (1722) 16:
Then, O my soul! do thou not fret, Nor yet envious be.Sc. 1765 The Lark 30:
My aunty Kate sits at her wheel, And sair she lightlies me; But weel ken I it's a' envy, For ne'er a jo has she.Ayr. 1792 Burns O, Leeze me . . . . iv.:
Wi' sma to sell and less to buy, Aboon distress, below envy.Edb. 1819 J. Thomson Poems 150:
There wad he liv'd, and happy been, Had not Envy and Malice keen Possess'd the minister of state.Sc. 1874 W. Allan Hame-spun Lilts 327:
The hoose that she hauds is by nane e'er envied; Aye shunned by her neebors, their loathin' she earns — Sae pity the chield to a feckless wife tied.

Hence envyfu', -fow, enviefu', invyfu', -fow, envious, full of envy (Sc. 1825 Jam.², invyfow; Cai. 1902 E.D.D., invyfu'; Abd.⁴ 1929, enviefu'); “invidious, malicious, malignant” (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.², envyfow). [ən′vɑɪfu.]Ayr. 1901 “G. Douglas” Green Shutters xi.:
Thae Macalisters are always so en-vy-fu'.