deer in the headlights
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From the image of a deer caught in a car's headlights – wide-open eyes, lack of motor reactions, etc.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
[edit]deer in the headlights (plural deer in the headlights)
- (idiomatic) A person in a mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety, fear, panic, surprise , confusion, or substance abuse.
- (idiomatic) A person with a stunned or glazed expression.
Alternative forms
[edit]Synonyms
[edit]- rabbit in the headlights (UK, Australia)
Derived terms
[edit]References
[edit]- “deer in the headlights”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.