fight or flight

fight or flight

Two possible physiological reactions to highly stressful or threatening situations: to defend oneself or to run away. What you felt when faced with that attacker was fight or flight.
See also: fight, flight
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fight or flight

the instinctive physiological response to a threatening situation, which readies you either to resist violently or to run away.
See also: fight, flight
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • wash (one's) hands of (someone or something)
  • wash hands of
  • wash one's hands of
  • wash your hands of
  • wash your hands of somebody/something
  • wash your hands of something/someone
  • for (one's) (own) sake
  • for sake
  • keep in sight
  • keep sight of (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
Thomas's main purpose here has to do with periodization, locating the origins of differing British and French fight or flight trajectories in the years prior to the Second World War.
The next nine chapters form the heart of Fight or Flight, presenting wonderfully detailed case studies based on the author's research in British and French archives, as well as his prodigious engagement with the most up-to-date secondary literature (the book's 370 pages of text are supported by almost exactly 100 pages of endnotes).
Although Thomas acknowledges in an endnote that "I do not wish to imply that the 'fight or flight' model can explain everything" (p.
() "Fight or Flight: Britain, France, and Their Roads from Empire by Martin Thomas," International Social Science Review: Vol.
Fight or Flight: Britain, France, and Their Roads from Empire by Martin Thomas
When you give in to either fight or flight, you lose control of the situation and are likely to feel either abusive or victimized."(1)
A three-step negotiation strategy