Cliché: a deer in headlights

(entered for 4.06.06)

Meaning: frozen by what surprises you. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: a raccoon in floodlights
Rewrite 2: a thief in security^4a lights
Rewrite 3: your teen caught taking money from your wallet
Rewrite 4: a shopper caught stuffing products in his pockets

Comment: There are two examples of this cliché: one is to startle something with a bright light (floodlights, security lights, flash light); the other is to startle someone doing something wrong.

More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Avoid clichés – like the plague: “Whether you're writing or speaking, clichés will weaken your message and cause your audience to tune out.”

Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.

Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.