the green-eyed monster

the green-eyed monster

Jealousy. The phrase comes from the Shakespeare play Othello. My daughter often succumbs to the green-eyed monster when she sees the toys that her friends have.

See also: monster

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

green-eyed monster

Jealousy, as in Bella knew that her husband sometimes succumbed to the green-eyed monster. This expression was coined by Shakespeare in Othello (3:3), where Iago says: "O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on." It is thought to allude to cats, often green-eyed, who tease their prey. Also see green with envy.

See also: monster

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

the green-eyed monster

jealousy. literary

Green is traditionally the colour of jealousy, as shown in the previous idiom green with envy and in this one, where the green-eyed monster is jealousy personified. This expression is a quotation from Shakespeare 's Othello, where Iago warns: ‘O! beware my lord of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on’.

See also: monster

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

the ˌgreen-eyed ˈmonster

(humorous) a feeling of anger or unhappiness because somebody you like or love is showing interest in somebody else; jealousy: In next week’s programme we’ll be looking at the green-eyed monster, jealousy.This comes from Shakespeare’s play Othello.

See also: monster

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

green-eyed monster/green with envy

Jealousy. The green-eyed monster comes straight from Shakespeare’s Othello (3.3), where the villain Iago tells Othello, “O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” The poet’s allusion is to the green-eyed cat family who tease their prey, seeming to love and hate them at the same time. However, a greenish complexion also was associated with jealousy, and elsewhere Shakespeare wrote “Troubled with the green sickness” (Antony and Cleopatra, 3.2). Jealousy and envy are not precisely synonyms; the first is a feeling of resentment against someone who enjoys success or an advantage, or who is a rival; the second is more a feeling of covetousness with regard to someone’s possessions or advantages. Nevertheless the color green came to symbolize envy as well, although somewhat later.

See also: envy, green, monster

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer