Avaricious
[ævə'rɪʃəs] or [,ævə'rɪʃəs]
Definition
(adj.) immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth; 'they are avaricious and will do anything for money'; 'casting covetous eyes on his neighbor's fields'; 'a grasping old miser'; 'grasping commercialism'; 'greedy for money and power'; 'grew richer and greedier'; 'prehensile employers stingy with raises for their employees' .
Typed by Brian--From WordNet
Definition
(a.) Actuated by avarice; greedy of gain; immoderately desirous of accumulating property.
Editor: Xenia
Synonyms and Synonymous
a. Miserly, penurious, parsimonious, sordid, illiberal, niggardly, mercenary, close, stingy, mean, grasping, close-fisted, hard-fisted, COVETOUS, eager for gain (for the sake of hoarding it).
Checked by Evan
Synonyms and Antonyms
[See LIBERAL]
Checker: Michelle
Examples
- Of all changes, he said, there is none so speedy or so sure as the conversion of the ambitious youth into the avaricious one. Plato. The Republic.
- And the avaricious, I said, is the oligarchical youth? Plato. The Republic.
- But thou promised to teach us all thy arts for the money we pay thee, objected Hielman, who was of an avaricious turn of mind. Rupert S. Holland. Historic Inventions.
- How I had a grasping, avaricious wish to shut out everybody from her but myself, and to be all in all to her, at that unseasonable time of all times. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- Ill-treating the boys, you covetous, avaricious, in-sa-ti-a-ble old fence? Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- They both agreed in calling him an old screw; which means a very stingy, avaricious person. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- And did you ever hear that my father was an avaricious, grasping man? Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- It was not in places of general resort, or where their equals were assembled, that any avaricious or malevolent noble durst offer him injury. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- As he advances in years he grows avaricious, for he has lost philosophy, which is the only saviour and guardian of men. Plato. The Republic.
- Last of all take notice, Pa, that it's not the fruit of any avaricious scheme. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- Give it here, you avaricious old skeleton, give it here! Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- I am not an avaricious or interested man, but the world thinks of these things--and Polly will be rich. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
Checker: Michelle