PhrasesHub

The living daylights

    Definitions

      • to beat someone up
        To express a threat or warning to physically harm someone

      • to scare someone
        To indicate the act of frightening or startling someone

    Examples of The living daylights

    • The police officer gave the suspect the living daylights with a stern lecture, leaving him trembling with fear.

      This idiom is used to mean that someone was severely scolded or reprimanded. It comes from the phrase "draw the living daylights out of" which originally referred to draining the color from someone's face with fear. In this example, the suspect was scolded so harshly that he nearly passed out with fear.

    • She worked the living daylights out of that project, putting in endless hours and sacrificing her free time.

      This idiom is used to mean that someone worked extremely hard on something. It comes from the phrase "work the living daylights out of" which originally referred to working someone so hard that they nearly collapsed with exhaustion. In this example, the person worked the project with such dedication and effort that it felt like she was working around the clock.

    • After the audition, he felt like the living daylights were drained out of him.

      This idiom is used to mean that someone was drained of energy or emotion. It comes from the original meaning of the expression "draw the living daylights out of" someone, which referred to draining their vitality or emotion. In this example, the person was so emotionally drained by the audition that he felt like all of the color had been drained from his face.

    • He was living the living daylights with his new job, enjoying every aspect of it.

      This idiom is used to mean that someone is thoroughly enjoying themselves or a particular experience. It comes from the expression "live the living daylights" which originally referred to living life to the fullest. In this example, the person is enjoying every aspect of his new job and is truly living life to the fullest.

    • The sales team worked tirelessly throughout the week, leaving no stone unturned and giving it their living daylights in order to close the deal before the end of the quarter.

      This example uses the idiom "the living daylights" figuratively to illustrate the intense effort and focus that the sales team put into their work in order to meet their goals. The phrase "the living daylights" refers to the maximum possible level of activity or energy, as if one were working so hard that they were literally expending every last ounce of their vitality. The expression emphasizes the sales team's exceptional dedication and commitment to achieving success.

    • She worked through the night, catching every last living daylight.

      This idiom is used in a literal sense to describe someone working for an incredibly long time, including working through the night. It emphasizes the exhaustion and lack of sleep, likening it to stealing daylight from the day. The origin of the phrase comes from the 19th-century English novel "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens, where the character Nancy tells Oliver to kill Bill Sikes during the day to prevent him from being caught by the police, or "catching every last living daylight."

    • His performance was the living daylights!

      This idiom is used metaphorically to describe something that is truly amazing, outstanding or exceptional. It elevates the performance to a level that seems almost supernatural. Although the original meaning of this idiom was to have the nocturnal light-sensitivity akin to an owl, it has evolved over time to describe anything that has dazzling or extraordinary quality.

    • His arguments were so convincing, they left her with the living daylights.

      This idiom is used figuratively to depict an overwhelming feeling of astonishment, disbelief, or confusion. The phrase "the living daylights" is used to signify how incredible or astounding something is, driving the person to wonder, or "catching every last living daylight."


    Conclusion

    "The living daylights" can be used to convey both a physical threat to someone as well as the act of scaring or startling them. It is a versatile idiom that can be used in various contexts to convey a sense of intimidation or fear.

    Origin of "The living daylights"

    The origin of the idiom "the living daylights" can be traced back to the late 18th century. The word "daylights" refers to the eyes, and the phrase "to beat the living daylights out of someone" originally meant to beat someone so severely that they would see stars or lights. Over time, the phrase evolved to also include the meaning of scaring or frightening someone, without necessarily involving physical violence. The idiom has since become a common expression in English language, used to convey a sense of intimidation or fear. Examples of its usage can be found in literature, film, and everyday conversation.