Deer in the headlight

Posted by ESC on April 30, 2007

In Reply to: Deer in the headlight posted by Bruce Kahl on April 29, 2007

: : : : : : I want to know what the phrase "deer in the headlight" means.

: : : : : It's literal. A deer is crossing the highway and a car is coming. The headlights of the vehicle will cause the deer to "freeze." Too scared to get out of the way. It is a very hazardous situation and deer are known as the most dangerous animal in the United States because of the resulting wrecks.

: : : : And there is the figural meaning, or extended meaning. "He had that look, like that of a deer caught in the headlights."
: : : : SS

: : : What I meant was the origin is literal.

: : In Australia, we always say "rabbit in the headlights". Pamela

: That look is what you get when your are with loopy relatives in Virginia who are praising Ann Coulter and you mention that George Bush is a lazy, incompetent bozo who should be indicted, tried and convicted of war crimes.

I would have paid to see that.