The idiom 'green-eyed monster' means

Question

Accepted Answer

The idiom 'green-eyed monster' means **to be jealous**.

Here's a detailed explanation:

**Why Option 2: To be jealous, is correct:**

The idiom 'green-eyed monster' is a well-established phrase used to describe the powerful and often destructive emotion of jealousy or envy. Its origin is famously attributed to William Shakespeare's play *Othello*, where the character Iago warns Othello: "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on." In this context, Iago explicitly links the "green-eyed monster" to jealousy, portraying it as a creature that consumes and torments its host. The color green has long been associated with envy and jealousy in Western culture, appearing in various expressions like "green with envy." Therefore, the phrase perfectly encapsulates the feeling of intense jealousy.

**Why other options are incorrect:**

*   **Option 1: To be sick**
    While a person might feel "green around the gills" when sick, the idiom 'green-eyed monster' does not refer to physical illness. It specifically denotes an emotional state, not a physical ailment. There is no idiomatic connection between this phrase and being unwell.

*   **Option 3: To be angry**
    While jealousy can often lead to anger, the 'green-eyed monster' specifically refers to the emotion of jealousy itself, not anger as its primary meaning. Anger is a distinct emotion, and while it can be a consequence of jealousy, the idiom points directly to the feeling of envy or resentment towards another's possessions, achievements, or advantages.

*   **Option 4: To be blind**
    There is no connection between the idiom 'green-eyed monster' and physical blindness or a lack of sight. The "eyes" in the idiom are metaphorical, representing the watchful, often resentful, gaze of a jealous person, not an inability to see.