Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment: Too much ambition caused him to be disliked by his colleagues.
- the object, state, or result desired or sought after: The crown was his ambition.
- desire for work or activity; energy: I awoke feeling tired and utterly lacking in ambition.
verb (used with object)
- to seek after earnestly; aspire to.
noun
- strong desire for success, achievement, or distinction
- something so desired; goal; aim
mid-14c., from Middle French ambition or directly from Latin ambitionem (nominative ambitio) “a going around,” especially to solicit votes, hence “a striving for favor, courting, flattery; a desire for honor, thirst for popularity,” noun of action from past participle stem of ambire “to go around” (see ambient).
Rarely used in the literal sense in English, where it carries the secondary Latin sense of “eager or inordinate desire of honor or preferment.” In early use always pejorative, of inordinate or overreaching desire; ambition was grouped with pride and vainglory.