Notabilia

Letters

Everyday Expressions

Play Possum

Back to where you came from. A different text of similar interest, in Greek.

Captured, or set upon, by another animal, a possum will pretend it is dead. No amount of shaking, or moving, will cause it to open its eyes. As soon as the interest of the predator is otherwise distracted, the possum slips off. We are using this phrase for somebody who is unresponsive, or faking unattentiveness [Idiomatic Expressions].

01-19-2004