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to eat one's heart out
01
to feel deep sadness or disappointment, especially over a lost opportunity or unfulfilled desire
What is the origin of the idiom "eat one's heart out" and when to use it?
The precise origin of the phrase "eat one's heart out" is uncertain, but it is thought to stem from the metaphorical connection between emotional pain and the physical sensation of heartache. This idiom is employed when someone experiences profound emotional distress or sorrow, often related to a lost opportunity, unfulfilled desire, or unrequited love.
eat your heart out
01
used to tease or make someone feel jealous or envious
Example
Seeing her dream job being offered to someone else, she ate her heart out, knowing that she had missed a golden opportunity.
After years of dedicated practice, she failed to make the team, eating her heart out over the lost opportunity to compete at a higher level.
As she watched her former partner happily marrying someone else, she couldn't help but eat her heart out, feeling a profound sense of loss and longing.
He ate his heart out as he watched the train pull away, realizing he had missed his chance to confess his love to her.
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