jealous

a. [ OE. jalous, gelus, OF. jalous, F. jaloux, LL. zelosus zealous, fr. zelus emulation, zeal, jealousy, Gr. zh^los. See Zeal, and cf. Zealous. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Zealous; solicitous; vigilant; anxiously watchful. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts. Kings xix. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

How nicely jealous is every one of us of his own repute! Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Apprehensive; anxious; suspiciously watchful. [ 1913 Webster ]

'This doing wrong creates such doubts as these,
Renders us jealous and disturbs our peace. Waller. [ 1913 Webster ]

The people are so jealous of the clergy's ambition. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Demanding exclusive devotion; intolerant of rivalry. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt worship no other God; for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Ex. xxxiv. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Disposed to suspect rivalry in matters of interest and affection; apprehensive regarding the motives of possible rivals, or the fidelity of friends; distrustful; having morbid fear of rivalry in love or preference given to another; painfully suspicious of the faithfulness of husband, wife, or lover. [ 1913 Webster ]

If the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife. Num. v. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

To both these sisters have I sworn my love:
Each jealous of the other, as the stung
Are of the adder. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is one of the best bonds, both of chastity and obedience, in the wife, if she think her husband wise; which she will never do if she find him jealous. Bacon.

Syn. -- Suspicious; anxious; envious. Jealous, Suspicious. Suspicious is the wider term. We suspect a person when we distrust his honesty and imagine he has some bad design. We are jealous when we suspect him of aiming to deprive us of what we dearly prize. Iago began by awakening the suspicions of Othello, and converted them at last into jealousy. “Suspicion may be excited by some kind of accusation, not supported by evidence sufficient for conviction, but sufficient to trouble the repose of confidence.” “Jealousy is a painful apprehension of rivalship in cases that are peculiarly interesting to us.” Cogan. [ 1913 Webster ]