The phrase “feeling a little green” typically refers to feeling nauseous, sick, or envious. Let’s explore the possible meanings and origins of this common idiom.
Feeling Nauseous or Sick
The most common meaning of “feeling green” relates to feeling ill or nauseous. The green color evokes the image of a pale, sickly complexion or green vomit.
Some examples of using “green” in this way include:
– “I ate too much spicy food last night and I’m feeling a little green today.”
– “After three days at sea with rough waters, most of the crew was looking a bit green.”
– “Riding rollercoasters always makes me turn green. I have such a weak stomach.”
This usage likely arose because sickness often causes a pale, greenish tinge to the skin. Seasickness in particular turns some people green. The green vomit produced by nausea may have also contributed to the idiom.
| Cause of Greenness | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Poor circulation | Blood draining from face can cause green/pale skin |
| Nausea | Vomiting bile can cause green color |
| Jaundice | Liver issues turn skin/eyes yellow-green |
So “feeling green” captures the sickly, pale, or queasy appearance people take on when unwell.
Feeling Envious or Jealous
Another common meaning of “feeling green” relates to envy or jealousy. This draws on the idea of turning “green with envy.”
Some examples include:
– “I was feeling very green when my sister got promoted instead of me.”
– “My friend just won the lottery which made me green with jealousy.”
– “Whenever I see my coworker’s new car, I can’t help but feel a little green.”
This usage emerges from the strong association between the color green and the emotion of envy. Traces of this connection are found as far back as Shakespeare’s work in the 16th century. The image evokes the idea of sickness, pale skin, or green-colored envy.
The Green-Eyed Monster was also a metaphorical personification of envy in Shakespeare’s Othello. So the color has long symbolized feelings of jealousy and envy when wanting what others have.
Origins and History
To understand what “feeling green” means, let’s look at some possible origins and history behind the expression:
- Links to “green sickness” – Anemia often turned young women pale green. They were then said to have “green sickness.”
- Connections to bile and jealousy – In the Middle Ages, bile was considered the cause of depressive moods and illnesses. Bile was also green, linking those feelings to the color.
- Ties to envy and jealousy – The use of “green-eyed monster” to symbolize envy appeared as early as Shakespeare’s works in the 1500s and 1600s.
- Emergence in 1800s literature – Many examples of “green with envy” and “pale green with jealousy” emerge in books by Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and others in the mid-late 1800s.
So the idiom stems from at least the 16th century and became popularized in the Victorian era. Both meanings relating to sickliness and jealousy likely contributed to the phrase over time.
The tables below show some early examples of “green” referencing sickness and envy in literature:
| Year | “Green” Referring to Illness/Sickness |
|---|---|
| 1611 | “He looked green at the gills.” – The Tempest, Shakespeare |
| 1813 | “Little gruel that looked green and yellow.” – Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen |
| 1861 | “She was looking sallow and green.” – Silas Marner, George Eliot |
| Year | “Green” Referring to Envy/Jealousy |
|---|---|
| 1604 | “Green-eyed jealousy.” – Othello, Shakespeare |
| 1838 | “Green and yellow melancholy.” – Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens |
| 1857 | “Eyes green with jealousy.” – David Copperfield, Charles Dickens |
Literal and Figurative Meaning
The phrase “feeling green” contains both literal and figurative meanings:
- Literal meaning – Actually looking green in the face from illness or nausea.
- Figurative meaning – Metaphorically turning “green with envy” at wanting what someone else has.
The literal sense refers to real green coloring of sickness. But the term is more often used figuratively to convey envy symbolically through the color green.
While both share a common green color, the literal and figurative meanings differ significantly in terms of actual jealousy versus physically feeling ill.
Regional Differences
The usage and meaning of “feeling green” does not vary much regionally. Some minor differences include:
- More common in British English – Ties to works like Shakespeare and Dickens make it slightly more prevalent in British English.
- Used more for envy in America – American English uses “green with envy” more than the sickness sense.
- Variations like “green around the gills” – Alternative phrases like this exist in different dialects of English.
But in most contexts, English speakers across the Anglosphere interpret “feeling green” in the same way. The idiom translates fairly universally to sickness or envy related to the color green.
Related Phrases
Some phrases related to “feeling green” with similar meanings include:
- Green with envy
- Green-eyed monster
- Green about the gills
- Turning green
- Looking a bit green
- Green around the gills
While “feeling green” is most standard, these alternatives help paint the picture of greenness relating to illness or envy.
Conclusion
In summary, the expression “feeling green” typically means experiencing sickness or nausea, as indicated by a pale green complexion. It can also figuratively mean feeling jealous or envious of others, drawing on imagery of being “green with envy.”
The phrase likely originated from medieval links between bile, envy, and the color green. It became popular in English literature during the Victorian period. The idiom continues to be used, especially in British English, to describe these feelings related to the green color.
So next time you say you’re “feeling green,” consider whether you’re literally nauseous and ill or just metaphorically jealous of your friend’s exotic vacation pictures on social media. The true meaning may be sickness, envy, or a little bit of both!
