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Vermont Posted 21 years ago
Vocabulary
Oyster and world
1 <>Hi,
<>The gentleman who announced that the world was an oyster which he with his sword would open made a larger hit than he deserved. It is not difficult to open an oyster with a sword. But did you ever notice any one try to open the terrestrial bivalve with a typewriter? Like to wait for a dozen raw opened that way?
Sarah had managed to pry apart the shells with her unhandy weapon far enough to nibble a wee bit at the cold and clammy world within.
I suppose that author play game with idiom.
Oyster - something that is or can be readily made to serve one's personal ends ( the world was her oyster )
It is idiom, but what does it mean? Explanation isn't clear - readily made to serve one's personal ends. What does 'ends' mean in this context?
Thanks
<>The gentleman who announced that the world was an oyster which he with his sword would open made a larger hit than he deserved. It is not difficult to open an oyster with a sword. But did you ever notice any one try to open the terrestrial bivalve with a typewriter? Like to wait for a dozen raw opened that way?
Sarah had managed to pry apart the shells with her unhandy weapon far enough to nibble a wee bit at the cold and clammy world within.
I suppose that author play game with idiom.
Oyster - something that is or can be readily made to serve one's personal ends ( the world was her oyster )
It is idiom, but what does it mean? Explanation isn't clear - readily made to serve one's personal ends. What does 'ends' mean in this context?
Thanks
Top answer
My understanding of "the world is [whoever's] oyster" is that the person has boundless opportunities, that is, that he/she can potentially do anything. The saying doesn't specifically connote that this is a result of the person's skill versus fortunate circumstances; it could be for any reason. e.
- My understanding of "the world is [whoever's] oyster" is that the person has boundless opportunities, that is, that he/she can potentially do anything.
- The saying doesn't specifically connote that this is a result of the person's skill versus fortunate circumstances; it could be for any reason.
- e.
- doing the things you want to do in life) or wealth.
- I've always assumed (but have never heard explicitly) that the reason for "oyster" is two-fold: 1) oysters in many places are considered a delicacy, a somewhat decadent food item associated with the rich or aristocracy; 2) oysters are where pearls come from; thus, perhaps if "the world is your oyster," it means that you have the power to seek out your "pearl" whatever that may be.
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2 Answers
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My understanding of "the world is [whoever's] oyster" is that the person has boundless opportunities, that is, that he/she can potentially do anything. The saying doesn't specifically connote that this is a result of the person's skill versus fortunate circumstances; it could be for any reason. I believe there is a connotation that what one can get out of this opportunity is either personal acc
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Hi,
I got this by googling:
THE WORLD IS (ONE'S) OYSTER - "The proverb first appears in Shakespeare's play 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' (1600).'Falstaff: I will not lend thee a penny. Pistol: Why, then, the world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open.' Act II, Scene II." From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" (1996) by Gregory Y
I got this by googling:
THE WORLD IS (ONE'S) OYSTER - "The proverb first appears in Shakespeare's play 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' (1600).'Falstaff: I will not lend thee a penny. Pistol: Why, then, the world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open.' Act II, Scene II." From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" (1996) by Gregory Y
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