Understanding the Idiom 'Green-Eyed' Meaning

The question asks for the meaning of the idiom "green-eyed" as used in the sentence: "She is green-eyed with his success." Idioms are phrases or expressions whose meaning cannot be deduced simply from the meanings of the individual words.

What does 'Green-Eyed' Mean?

The idiom "green-eyed" is commonly used to describe a feeling of jealousy or envy. It originates from the idea that green is the color associated with envy.

• When someone is "green-eyed," they are experiencing envy towards another person's possessions, qualities, or success.
• In the given sentence, "She is green-eyed with his success," it means that she is feeling envious or jealous because of his success.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the provided options in the context of the sentence and the meaning of "green-eyed":

• afraid: This means feeling fear or apprehension. The sentence is about someone's reaction to success, not fear. So, "afraid" is not the correct meaning.
• worried: This means feeling troubled or anxious. While success might sometimes cause worry, the idiom "green-eyed" specifically refers to envy, not worry.
• jealous: This means feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and possessions. This aligns perfectly with the common meaning of "green-eyed" and how it's used in the sentence concerning someone's success.
• enthusiastic: This means having or showing intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval. This is the opposite of feeling "green-eyed" with someone's success.

Based on the analysis of the idiom and the options, the most appropriate meaning of "green-eyed" in this context is "jealous".

Revision Table: Idiom 'Green-Eyed'

Additional Information on English Idioms

English has many idioms, and understanding them is crucial for comprehending the language fully. Here are a few points about idioms:

• Idioms are figurative expressions; their meaning is not literal.
• They often add color and nuance to language.
• The meaning of idioms must be learned as a whole unit, not by analyzing individual words.
• Learning idioms is an important part of improving English fluency and understanding native speakers.

Some other common color-related idioms include:

• Feeling blue: Feeling sad.
• Out of the blue: Happening unexpectedly.
• Red-handed: Caught in the act of doing something wrong.
• White elephant: A possession that is useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to maintain.