See the world is someone's oyster in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "A Most Pleasaunt and Excellent Conceited Comedie, of Syr Iohn Falstaffe, and"
},
"expansion": "[…]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "Entermixed with Sundrie Variable and Pleasing Humors, of Syr Hugh the Welch Knight, Iustice Shallow, and His Wife Cousin M. Slender. With the Swaggering Vaine of Auncient Pistoll, and Corporall Nym. By William Shakespeare. As It hath bene Diuers Times Acted by the Right Honorable My Lord Chamberlaines Seruants. Both before Her Maiestie, and Else-where."
},
"expansion": "[…]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "and are to be sold at his shop in Powles Church-yard, at the signe of the Flower de Leuse and the Crowne."
},
"expansion": "[…]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "1597",
"short": "yes"
},
"expansion": "c. 1597",
"name": "circa2"
}
],
"etymology_text": "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.",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "the world is someone's oyster",
"name": "en-proverb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "proverb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "English proverbs",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with German translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Hebrew translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Japanese translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Korean translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Macedonian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Polish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Russian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
}
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "the world is one's lobster"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "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:",
"text": "Fal[staff]. I vvill not lend thee a penny. / Piſt[ol]. VVhy then the vvorld's mine Oyſter, vvhich I, vvith ſvvord vvill open.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1858, Anthony Trollope, “Dr. Thorne”, in Doctor Thorne. […], volume I, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 58:",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "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:",
"text": "Irregular gentlemen, to whom the world's their oyster,—said oyster does suddenly snap-to on them, by a chance.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2008, Nick Clayton, “Introduction”, in The Guardian Guide to Working Abroad, London: A[dam] & C[harles] Black Publishers, →ISBN, page 15:",
"text": "The world may be your oyster, but that doesn't mean you've found the pearl.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"All opportunities are open to someone; the world is theirs."
],
"id": "en-the_world_is_someone's_oyster-en-proverb-dtBewHo5",
"links": [
[
"opportunities",
"opportunity"
],
[
"open",
"open#Adjective"
],
[
"world",
"world#Noun"
]
],
"related": [
{
"word": "carpe diem"
},
{
"word": "seize the day"
},
{
"word": "take the bull by the horns"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "世界屬於你"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"note": "世界属于你 (shìjiè shǔyú nǐ, literally “the world is yours”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "de wereld ligt aan iemands voeten"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "maailma on avoin"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "die Welt liegt einem zu Füßen"
},
{
"code": "he",
"lang": "Hebrew",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "העולם פרוש לרגליך"
},
{
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "kono yo wa omoi no mama",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "この世は思いのまま"
},
{
"code": "mk",
"lang": "Macedonian",
"note": "све́тот е твој (svétot e tvoj, literally “the world is yours”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "mk",
"lang": "Macedonian",
"note": "сѐ е во тво́и ра́це (sè e vo tvói ráce, literally “everything is in your hands”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "świat stoi przed kimś otworem"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"note": "весь мир к твои́м услу́гам (vesʹ mir k tvoím uslúgam, literally “the whole world is at your service”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"note": "всё в твои́х рука́х (vsjo v tvoíx rukáx, literally “everything is in your hands”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "el mundo es tuyo, te vas a comer el mundo"
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"Ancient Pistol",
"First Folio",
"The Merry Wives of Windsor",
"William Shakespeare"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ðə ˈwɜːld‿ɪz ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈɔɪstə/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ðə ˈwɜɹld‿ɪz ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈɔɪstəɹ/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "En-us-the world is someone's oyster.oga",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e6/En-us-the_world_is_someone%27s_oyster.oga/En-us-the_world_is_someone%27s_oyster.oga.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/En-us-the_world_is_someone%27s_oyster.oga"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɔɪstə(ɹ)"
}
],
"word": "the world is someone's oyster"
}
{
"derived": [
{
"word": "the world is one's lobster"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "A Most Pleasaunt and Excellent Conceited Comedie, of Syr Iohn Falstaffe, and"
},
"expansion": "[…]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "Entermixed with Sundrie Variable and Pleasing Humors, of Syr Hugh the Welch Knight, Iustice Shallow, and His Wife Cousin M. Slender. With the Swaggering Vaine of Auncient Pistoll, and Corporall Nym. By William Shakespeare. As It hath bene Diuers Times Acted by the Right Honorable My Lord Chamberlaines Seruants. Both before Her Maiestie, and Else-where."
},
"expansion": "[…]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "and are to be sold at his shop in Powles Church-yard, at the signe of the Flower de Leuse and the Crowne."
},
"expansion": "[…]",
"name": "nb..."
},
{
"args": {
"1": "1597",
"short": "yes"
},
"expansion": "c. 1597",
"name": "circa2"
}
],
"etymology_text": "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.",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "the world is someone's oyster",
"name": "en-proverb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "proverb",
"related": [
{
"word": "carpe diem"
},
{
"word": "seize the day"
},
{
"word": "take the bull by the horns"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English proverbs",
"English terms first attested in Shakespeare",
"English terms with quotations",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Requests for review of Mandarin translations",
"Rhymes:English/ɔɪstə(ɹ)",
"Rhymes:English/ɔɪstə(ɹ)/7 syllables",
"Terms with Dutch translations",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Hebrew translations",
"Terms with Japanese translations",
"Terms with Korean translations",
"Terms with Macedonian translations",
"Terms with Mandarin translations",
"Terms with Polish translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"Terms with Spanish translations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "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:",
"text": "Fal[staff]. I vvill not lend thee a penny. / Piſt[ol]. VVhy then the vvorld's mine Oyſter, vvhich I, vvith ſvvord vvill open.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1858, Anthony Trollope, “Dr. Thorne”, in Doctor Thorne. […], volume I, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 58:",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "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:",
"text": "Irregular gentlemen, to whom the world's their oyster,—said oyster does suddenly snap-to on them, by a chance.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2008, Nick Clayton, “Introduction”, in The Guardian Guide to Working Abroad, London: A[dam] & C[harles] Black Publishers, →ISBN, page 15:",
"text": "The world may be your oyster, but that doesn't mean you've found the pearl.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"All opportunities are open to someone; the world is theirs."
],
"links": [
[
"opportunities",
"opportunity"
],
[
"open",
"open#Adjective"
],
[
"world",
"world#Noun"
]
],
"wikipedia": [
"Ancient Pistol",
"First Folio",
"The Merry Wives of Windsor",
"William Shakespeare"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ðə ˈwɜːld‿ɪz ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈɔɪstə/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ðə ˈwɜɹld‿ɪz ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈɔɪstəɹ/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "En-us-the world is someone's oyster.oga",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e6/En-us-the_world_is_someone%27s_oyster.oga/En-us-the_world_is_someone%27s_oyster.oga.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/En-us-the_world_is_someone%27s_oyster.oga"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɔɪstə(ɹ)"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "世界屬於你"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"note": "世界属于你 (shìjiè shǔyú nǐ, literally “the world is yours”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "de wereld ligt aan iemands voeten"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "maailma on avoin"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "die Welt liegt einem zu Füßen"
},
{
"code": "he",
"lang": "Hebrew",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "העולם פרוש לרגליך"
},
{
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "kono yo wa omoi no mama",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "この世は思いのまま"
},
{
"code": "mk",
"lang": "Macedonian",
"note": "све́тот е твој (svétot e tvoj, literally “the world is yours”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "mk",
"lang": "Macedonian",
"note": "сѐ е во тво́и ра́це (sè e vo tvói ráce, literally “everything is in your hands”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"word": "świat stoi przed kimś otworem"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"note": "весь мир к твои́м услу́гам (vesʹ mir k tvoím uslúgam, literally “the whole world is at your service”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"note": "всё в твои́х рука́х (vsjo v tvoíx rukáx, literally “everything is in your hands”)",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "all opportunities are open to someone",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "el mundo es tuyo, te vas a comer el mundo"
}
],
"word": "the world is someone's oyster"
}
Download raw JSONL data for the world is someone's oyster meaning in English (6.5kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.