Obs. Forms: 1 æfest, æfst, æfist, efest, 3 evest, -ist, ? eust, oust. Cf. EFT sb.2 [OE. æfest, acc. to Sievers for *æfést, f. æf- (= OF, Ger. ab) from, away from + ést (see ESTE sb.); cf. Ger. abgunst.] Envy, malice.
a. 1000. Cynewulf, Elene, 496. Þæt hie for æfstum unscyldigne … feore beræddon.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. lxix. 4. Heora æfstu eac ealle sceamien.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 18552 (Gött.). Þe princes als his ful fas wid eust [printed enst; Cotton, oust, printed onst) and nith again his ras. Ibid., 23138 (Edin. MS.). In niþe and euest [printed enest] and licheri. Ibid., 23279 (Edin.). Þai þat war fild of euist [printed enist].
