Deer in the headlights is a fairly recently established idiom. You can also dazzle by impressing people, and not just by wearing a sparkly sequined shirt. To dazzle is to blind someone for a moment with light, like a deer in the headlights. Like other Animal Spirit Guides, the Deer symbolism becomes important if you spot a deer somewhere unusual. A person experiencing the "deer in headlights" syndrome often shows behavioral signs reminding those of a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a transcient lack of motor reactions. A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety, fear, panic, surprise and/or confusion, or substance abuse. Deer are crepuscular. What does this mean? Deer actually do get caught in headlights, even if the action (or perhaps, lack of action) is a product of their own doing. The deer in backyard meaning is slightly more important than a deer sighting in a forest (although not always) because it’s undeniably meant as a sign or message. … The deer is a natural beauty and they help you realize the beauty in nature and in life. Like a deer caught in the headlights, many of us freeze in response to fear. But this idiom didn’t come from nowhere. Your headlights shine on the deer making its eyes have a glare and appear to glaze over. Someone caught in a state of paralyzing surprise, fear, or bewilderment. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com! It is quite literally the look a deer gives you when you are driving on a dark night and stop for a deer. Researchers say freezing or standing still when scared is a natural defensive reaction. What does that mean? Search to be like a deer caught in the headlights and thousands of other words in English definition and synonym dictionary from Reverso. And there is the figural meaning, or extended meaning. Deer in the Headlights. Why would she do this? It comes from the Greek words: glossa, which means tongue and phobos meaning fear. Mary turned into a deer in the headlights when she forgot her lines in the middle of the play. Like a deer caught in headlights. It’s a phrase that humans have been saying as long — much longer, in fact — than I’ve been alive. It is a very hazardous situation and deer are known as the most dangerous animal in the United States because of the resulting wrecks. Likened to the tendency of deer to freeze in place in front of an oncoming vehicle. Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking. It even has an official name. The headlights of the vehicle will cause the deer to "freeze." When I first started my job this cute girl would look at me like she had seen a ghost, or like a deer in the headlights. Often used in the phrase “like a deer in the headlights. It's a shame because the chemistry is amazing and we are like best friend when together :( but he isn't ready to go that step further. A synonym for deer in the headlights is rabbit in the headlights. An idiom is a commonly used word, group of words, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. The deer stops dead in its tracks, confused, and afraid and just stares at you. We saw each other for the first time other day and his eyes were huge and sparkly, looked like a deer in headlights... we both mumbled hi! Too scared to get out of the way. Much like the four-leaf clover, deer represent good luck, good news and new beginnings — progressing.