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The living daylights out of someone

 

An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not readily apparent based on the individual words in the expression. This forum is dedicated to discussing idioms and other sayings.


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  #1  
Old November 02, 2018, 08:55 PM
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Question The living daylights out of someone

http://www.tomisimo.org/idioms/en/to...eone-3499.html

I know the meaning of this idiom and I have used it here and there... (well, look at my "signature"

Anybody knows the derivation of it?

How it came about?

Is the "daylights" originally referring to "your eyes"?

I understand "living" would be an intensifier, as in "the very"...

Any "light" that can be shed here will be greatly appreciated!
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Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."
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  #2  
Old November 02, 2018, 11:14 PM
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Daylights used to be slang for 'the eyes'. This came to mean 'the vital senses' over time.

We say 'beat' or 'scare' the living daylights out of someone.
When we use 'beat', we are talking about severe damage (at least making someone unconscious).
When we use 'scare', we are talking about causing someone to at least be quite shocked, and hope they start screaming out of fear. Fainting would not be ruled out.

Usually, though, when we use these idioms we are just blowing smoke (not really intending to beat someone up or frighten them to such a degree that their lights go out).
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Old November 04, 2018, 02:30 PM
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Thank you, Rusty!

We can always count on you to light our days!
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Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."
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Old November 04, 2018, 03:16 PM
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