Deer in the headlight

Posted by Bruce Kahl on April 29, 2007

In Reply to: Deer in the headlight posted by pamela on April 28, 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.

• Deer in the headlight ESC 30/April/07