The idiom 'green-eyed monster' means

Question

Accepted Answer

The idiom 'green-eyed monster' is a well-known phrase used to describe the powerful and destructive emotion of jealousy.

**Explanation for Option 1 (to be jealous):**
The phrase 'green-eyed monster' was popularized by William Shakespeare in his play *Othello*. In Act 3, Scene 3, Iago warns Othello: "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on." Here, Iago personifies jealousy as a monstrous creature with green eyes that consumes its victim from within. The color green has historically been associated with envy and jealousy, possibly stemming from the belief that bile, which was thought to cause these emotions, was green. Therefore, the idiom directly and unequivocally refers to the feeling of intense jealousy or envy.

**Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**

*   **Option 2 (to be sick):** While the color green can sometimes be associated with sickness (e.g., "green around the gills"), the full idiom 'green-eyed monster' does not refer to physical illness. Its specific literary origin and common usage firmly establish its meaning as jealousy, not sickness.
*   **Option 3 (to be angry):** Anger is a distinct emotion, often associated with colors like red. While jealousy can certainly lead to anger, the idiom itself points to the underlying emotion of jealousy as the 'monster,' not anger directly. The phrase specifically captures the insidious and consuming nature of envy, which is different from a fit of rage.
*   **Option 4 (to be blind):** There is no connection whatsoever between the idiom 'green-eyed monster' and the state of being blind. This option is entirely unrelated to the established meaning and origin of the phrase.