- Meaning
- This idiom is a taunting or boastful expression, urging someone to feel envy or regret over another’s success, talent, or good fortune. It suggests that the observer should ‘eat their heart out’ in jealousy, emphasizing the speaker’s triumph or superiority. The phrase is used in competitive, social, or playful contexts, often with a cheeky or gloating tone, reflecting cultural attitudes toward rivalry and showing off. It can also be used lightheartedly among friends to highlight achievements without malice.
- Origin
- The phrase has roots in ancient expressions of grief or envy, with ‘eating one’s heart’ linked to emotional suffering in Homer’s *Iliad* (8th century BCE). In English, it appeared by the 16th century, with William Shakespeare’s *Troilus and Cressida* (1602) using ‘eat your heart’ for regret. The modern form, ‘eat your heart out,’ emerged in 19th-century America, with an 1885 *New York Times* article using it to taunt rivals. Its popularity grew in the 20th century, particularly in showbiz and sports, as seen in Variety headlines and Hollywood slang, reflecting a culture of bravado and competition.
- Variants
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- Eat your heart out
- Eat your heart out, [name]
- Eat their hearts out
- Eat his/her heart out
- Examples
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- Eat your heart out—I just won the lottery!
- She danced flawlessly, saying, ‘Eat your heart out, judges!’ to her rivals.
- Eat their hearts out, our team crushed the competition with a perfect score.
- Eat your heart out, Bob—I got the promotion you wanted!
- He showed off his new car, grinning, ‘Eat your heart out, neighbors!’
- Eat her heart out—she aced the exam while her rival struggled.
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