Idiom of the Week
Archive - December 2005
"Gabi was green with envy over the magnificent view from her co-worker's corner office."
 Green with envy - Full of desire for someone's possessions or advantages; extremely covetous.
[This idiom originates from the definition of "green" as an unhealthy appearance due to nausea or jealousy. Shakespeare first described envy as "the green sickness," which evolved into the phrase "green with envy" in the mid-1800s. The related idiom "green-eyed monster" also refers to jealousy.]
- "Although John knew that Jane deserved her promotion, he was nevertheless green with envy over her increase in salary."
"Jey knew from experience that a winning attitude and hard work counted for just as much as talent."
From Touch All the Bases, p. 46
Winning attitude – n. Confident attitude, belief in oneself and in success
- “Sue has a winning attitude, which has helped her rise to Sr. V.P.”
"He was tuckered out, and he could have hit the hay that very moment if the management course director hadn't insisted on debriefing the day's events by linking them to how businesses and their managers respond to adversity and unexpected risk."
From Take the Bull by the Horns , p. 36
 Tuckered out - v. To be tired or weary, usually from hard work.
- "I was tuckered out from moving my office to a new location."
Hit the hay - v. Hay is dried grass, clover, etc. used to feed animals or, in some places, to sleep on. Thus, this idiom means to go to sleep.
- "With this new project I'm on, I never hit the hay before midnight."
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