the world is someone's oyster

UK/ðə ˈwɜːld‿ɪz ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈɔɪstə/US/ðə ˈwɜɹld‿ɪz ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈɔɪstəɹ/

proverb

All opportunities are open to someone; the world is theirs.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. All opportunities are open to someone; the world is theirs.

    The world may be your oyster, but that doesn't mean you've found the pearl.

    2008, Nick Clayton, “Introduction”, in The Guardian Guide to Working Abroad, London: A[dam] & C[harles] Black Publishers, →ISBN, page 15
    3 more examples

    Fal[staff]. I vvill not lend thee a penny. / Piſt[ol]. VVhy then the vvorld's mine Oyſter, vvhich I, vvith ſvvord vvill open.

    c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], signature C2, verso

    But his wants were not at first great; and though his ambition was perhaps high, it was not of an impatient nature. The world was his oyster; but, circumstanced as he was, he knew it was not for him to open it with his lancet all at once.

    1858, Anthony Trollope, “Dr. Thorne”, in Doctor Thorne. […], volume I, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 58

    Irregular gentlemen, to whom the world's their oyster,—said oyster does suddenly snap-to on them, by a chance.

    1865, Thomas Carlyle, “Peace of Hubertsburg”, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume VI, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book XX, page 328

Origin

From the version of the play The Merry Wives of Windsor published in the First Folio (1623) of the works of the English playwright William Shakespeare (baptized 1564; died 1616): see the quotation. The original context was that Ancient Pistol would use force to obtain a loan from Sir John Falstaff, like prising open an oyster with a sword to obtain a pearl.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch de wereld ligt aan iemands voeten
  • de wereld ligt aan iemands voetenall opportunities are open to someone
Finnish maailma on avoin
  • maailma on avoinall opportunities are open to someone
German die Welt liegt einem zu Füßen
  • die Welt liegt einem zu Füßenall opportunities are open to someone
Hebrew העולם פרוש לרגליך
  • העולם פרוש לרגליךall opportunities are open to someone
Japanese この世は思いのまま
  • この世は思いのまま (kono yo wa omoi no mama)all opportunities are open to someone
Polish świat stoi przed kimś otworem
  • świat stoi przed kimś otworemall opportunities are open to someone
Spanish el mundo es tuyo, te vas a comer el mundo
  • el mundo es tuyo, te vas a comer el mundoall opportunities are open to someone

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with the world is someone's oyster

oystercloisterfoisterroister
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

the world is someone's oyster. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20world%20is%20someone's%20oyster

MLA

“the world is someone's oyster.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20world%20is%20someone's%20oyster. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the world is someone's oyster,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20world%20is%20someone's%20oyster.

Source: the world is someone's oyster on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.