green-eyed

comparative more green-eyed · comparative greener-eyed · superlative most green-eyed · superlative greenest-eyed

1. literallyHaving green eyes.

   ‘We’re not Angels. Angels are far more powerfully magical, far greener-eyed—’

   2016, Helena Coggan, chapter 26, in The Reaction, London: Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, page 243

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   It was Floss—Floss, smaller, queerer, greener-eyed, and more defiant than ever; but internally, nevertheless, in a state of intense excitement and delight at the thought of seeing Aunty ’Genia again, hearing more dolls’ stories, possibly—who could say?—seeing those venerable ladies themselves.

   1873, Ennis Graham [pseudonym; Mary Louisa Molesworth], “The Last Straw”, in Not without Thorns. […], volume III, London: Tinsley Brothers, […], pages 146–147

   “Sixteen years old I was,” laughed Hannah, “and greener-eyed and more freckled-faced than you’ve ever seen me, pettie.”

   1905, Annie J[efferson] Holland, “For Stella’s Sake”, in Talitha Cumi: A Story of Freedom through Christian Science, Boston, Mass.: Lee and Shepard, page 133

   Catch me in a trap set with old dried-up cheese rind, if you can, or any other trap, for that matter. It is only very young and very conceited people who get caught in them. But the horrid cat! The worst-looking, greenest-eyed monster that ever was in league with a mouse trap!

   1915, Alison Hitchcock, “In Dreamland”, in Lady Sweetheart and the Little Girl, Elmira, N.Y.: Snyder Bros., page 33

   “Tea?” asked a honeyed masculine voice near her left ear. / “Or sherry?” inquired an identical voice from her right. / Quick as a pair of foxes, the twins took up flanking positions on the sofa, pinning her neatly in between. Glancing from one to the other, she laughed. “At the moment, I’m not sure.” / The greener-eyed one—Leo, she believed—sent her a dashing smile. “Not to worry, there are plenty of hours left in the evening.”

   2010, Tracy Anne Warren, At the Duke’s Pleasure, New York, N.Y.: Avon, →ISBN, page 60

   [S]he looked sandier-haired and greener-eyed than ever. […] She was looking at him stealthily, with her great green eyes flashing. […] Later, as he lay in bed, a foot or two from the sea-green eyes, now closed, and the sandy hair, now done up under a nightcap, he thought about the other part of his scheme.

   2011, D[avid] J[ohn] Taylor, “Mr Happerton’s Haunts and Homes”, in Derby Day, London: Chatto & Windus, →ISBN, part two, pages 123–124

2. figurativelyJealous; envious.

   “Weena,” know that we look to you to ride life over the hurdles of success with the same firm seat that has held you on the backs of the greenest-eyed devils in the Artillery stables.

   1923, “Edward McCormick Williams, B.S.”, in The Bomb, Lexington, Va.: Virginia Military Institute

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   There is a startling vision of invasion in the air, which gives a certain piquancy to the narrative, especially as on the surface of the people’s seriousness of anticipation, if it cannot be called fear, there floats a sort of laughing incredulity—as if they did not believe that Napoleon would come, or be able to come, or that, if he did come, it would matter so much as the greener-eyed tremblers imagined.

   1869 January 2, “[Reviews of Books.] Diana’s Crescent.”, in The London Review of Politics, Society, Literature, Art, & Science, volume XVIII, number 444, London, page 16, column 1

   That is the way these jealous husbands bid an affectionate adieu to the partner of their sorrows, not of their joys, and go to the city to be devoured with curiosity as to what their wives are doing in their absence, and to come back greener-eyed than ever.

   1873, Sophie Sparkle [pseudonym; Jennie E. Hicks], “Flirtations”, in Sparkles from Saratoga, New York, N.Y.: American News Company, page 166

   And Betsey believed herself to have been slighted, and her wrath grew hot against the young man, and her envy greener-eyed against the girl, who continued to secure so many things which in justice should have been hers; […]

   1885, R[obert] Cleland, “A Confidante”, in A Rich Man’s Relatives. […], volume III, London: F[rederick] V[ernon] White and Co., […], page 15

   Three cows, her dower was, no less. But three cows or ten, she was a lucky piece to be wedding Barney Callan, poor as he was. For he was a sweet-eyed, smiling-faced boy, with a merry word for everybody straight out of his kind heart, and no one, not even the greenest-eyed backbiter in all Connaught could have it that the three cows it was caught Barney and not Honora’s black twist o’ hair and her hard and shining eyes.

   1911 October, M. Normile, “An Irish Fable”, in Gustav Stickley, editor, The Craftsman, volume XXI, number 1, New York, N.Y.: The Craftsman Publishing Co., page 23

   [Y]ou will win your own particular war, provided you keep early hours, take swimming and gymnastics, avoid the temptation of quick lunches, or, still more fatal, rushed breakfasts. For if in your haste your meals do not altogether “take to you,” you will sympathize with the small children who, when called upon to define a “green-eyed monster,” wavered between “a whale” and “a teacher who does not take to you,” and finally finished up with what for them was the greenest-eyed of all—indigestion.

   1919, E[llen] M[ary] Knox, “Salesmanship”, in The Girl of the New Day, Toronto, Ont.: McClelland & Stewart, page 113