ambit

n. [ F. ambition, L. ambitio a going around, especially of candidates for office is Rome, to solicit votes (hence, desire for office or honor), fr. ambire to go around. See Ambient, Issue. ] 1. The act of going about to solicit or obtain an office, or any other object of desire; canvassing. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

[ I ] used no ambition to commend my deeds. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An eager, and sometimes an inordinate, desire for preferment, honor, superiority, power, or the attainment of something. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cromwell, I charge thee, fling a way ambition:
By that sin fell the angels. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The pitiful ambition of possessing five or six thousand more acres. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. F. ambitionner. ] To seek after ambitiously or eagerly; to covet. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Pausanias, ambitioning the sovereignty of Greece, bargains with Xerxes for his daughter in marriage. Trumbull. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One excessively ambitious. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Devoid of ambition. Pollok. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ambitiosus: cf. F. ambitieux. See Ambition. ] 1. Possessing, or controlled by, ambition; greatly or inordinately desirous of power, honor, office, superiority, or distinction. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honorable man. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Strongly desirous; -- followed by of or the infinitive; as, ambitious to be or to do something. [ 1913 Webster ]

I was not ambitious of seeing this ceremony. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

Studious of song, and yet ambitious not to sing in vain. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Springing from, characterized by, or indicating, ambition; showy; aspiring; as, an ambitious style. [ 1913 Webster ]

A giant statue . . .
Pushed by a wild and artless race,
From off wide, ambitious base. Collins. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an ambitious manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being ambitious; ambition; pretentiousness. [ 1913 Webster ]