Also 7 æm-. [ad. L. æmulātiōn-em, n. of action f. æmulā-ri.]
1. The endeavor to equal or surpass others in any achievement or quality; also, the desire or ambition to equal or excel.
In early use the word is perh. more freq. applied to the mental emotion; in mod. use the notion of active effort is always in some degree present.
1552. Huloet, Emulation, zelus.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 59. To prouoke & encorage other forwarde natures to themulation of their vertues.
1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., v. (1627), 48. Prouoking emulation of the Schollers.
1622. B. Jonson, Pref. Verses, in Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., A 4 b. And this Faire æmulation, and no Enuy is.
1674. Boyle, Theol. comp. w. Nat. Philos., 197. Imitation or Emulation oftentimes makes many others addict themselves to it [a branch of study].
c. 1790. Burke, Sp. Short. Parl., Wks. X. 85. The spirit of emulation has also been extremely increased.
1828. D’Israeli, Charles I., II. xi. 274. Their emulation, if it ever were emulation, terminated in personal antipathy.
1882. Hinsdale, Garfield & Educ., I. 36. He was always generous in his emulations.
† 2. Ambitious rivalry for power or honors; contention or ill-will between rivals. Obs.
1588. in Harl. Misc. (1809), II. 97. The dissension and emulation that I have seen … between private captains for vainglory.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., II. iii. 25. Emulation, who shall now be neerest, Will touch vs all too neere.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 6 (1619), 105. What heart-greife was it to Iacob to see such daily emulation betweene Leah and Rahel?
1646. Buck, Rich. III., I. 13. Iulius Cæsar, was … a great Captaine, although his Emulation cost an infinite quantitie of … humane blood.
1651. Reliq. Wotton (1685), 608. A great emulation fallen between the Queens Agent, and the Polish Orator there.
† 3. Grudge against the superiority of others; dislike, or tendency to disparagement, of those who are superior. Obs.
1561. Eden, Arte Nauig., Pref. This enuy of emulation proceadeth of some singuler vertue of them that are so maliced.
1596. Drayton, Leg., iii. 323. For Emulation ever did attend Upon the Great.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. vii. § 6. I 3 b. Constantine the Great, in eemulation was woont to call him Parietaria, Wall flower.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 134. Pale and bloodlesse Emulation.
1695. Bp. Patrick, Comm. Gen., 492. Zilpah’s Sons … were thought to have less emulation to him, than the Sons of Leah.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl. (1815), 127. I am afraid we sometimes palliate this vice [envy], under the specious name of emulation.
¶ 4. As rendering of æmulatio (Vulg.), ‘jealousy.’ (ascribed to God). rare–1.
1609. Bible (Douay), Ps. lxxvii. 58. In their gravens they provoked him to emulation.
