as title. please
2006-09-18 18:20:30 · 14 answers · asked by sherry 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It means dont play dead. In the wild possums play dead when they are scared. They do this so that the prey will leave them alone. It is not healthy for a prey animal to eat an already dead animal beacase it could have died from posion or deseaise. Thats why people say that if you encounter a bear you should ay down, then the bear will think your dead and leave you alone.
2006-09-18 18:25:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
An opossum will lie still and pretend dead when cornered or other wise in danger. Thus the saying "don't play possum" meaning don't pretend to be dead or inactive.
A couple of months ago my dog bayed a visiting possum on my patio. Off course the possum rolled over and played death. My wife came home not long afterwards and found what she thought was a dead possum on the patio. She went to get a shovel to pick it up and carry it off. Imagine her surprise when the dead possum jumped up and ran between her legs to escape her and the dog.
2006-09-19 03:13:43 · answer #2 · answered by barrettins 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Possums actually go limp, curl up and play dead when they get caught. Playing possum means playing dead.
2006-09-19 01:23:09 · answer #3 · answered by San Diego Art Nut 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
possums do a real good job of playing dead. So I would guess don't act dead
2006-09-19 01:22:50 · answer #4 · answered by wowwhatwasthat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dont play (sleep) dead basically...playing "possum" means to act alsleep or dead since it is a country myth that all possum's end up dead in the road....
haha funny huh?
2006-09-19 01:34:34 · answer #5 · answered by mholt_86 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Possums pretend to be dead to discourage preditors.
Don't pretend to be helpless or to not know what is going on.
2006-09-19 01:29:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
to "play possum" is to pretend or mimic death. the oppossum, a ratlike creature that lives mainly in the southern US. will mimic death when threatened. so, "don't play possum" means "don't be non responsive"
2006-09-19 01:23:30 · answer #7 · answered by blkrose65 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
oppossums spend most of their time basically doing nothing--their inactivity is their camoflage because you can't tell if they're alive or not. If you "play possum" your just kind of lurking--not contributing to the work others are doing.
2006-09-19 01:23:31 · answer #8 · answered by Plain and Simple 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
opposums get scared they play dead and dont move. So the expression is generally used when a person thinks another is either pretending to be asleep or afraid to answer another persons question.
2006-09-19 01:24:52 · answer #9 · answered by mandy67357 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't fake out or play dead. face the issues
2006-09-19 01:22:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋