head in the sand

See also: head-in-the-sand

English

Alternative forms

• head-in-the-sand (attributive)

Etymology

A reference to the imagined habit of the ostrich burying its head when threatened.

Noun

head in the sand (plural heads in the sand)

1. A state of disregarding or denying a problem or threat.

   People who deny the inevitable zombie apocalypse have their heads in the sand.

   • 1961 June, B. A. Haresnape, “Design on the railway: Part Four”, in Trains Illustrated, page 354:

     In my opinion, the railways still have their heads in the sand on the subject of railway liveries.

   • 1982 February 6, Jil Clark, quoting Mark Pierce, “Gay Father in Maine Fights for Custody of Son”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 28, page 1:

     Pierce commented that he has never considered himself to be "a militant homosexual or anything like that, but if they expect us to sit around with our heads in the sand and not fight back, call me militant."

Related terms

• bury one's head in the sand

See also

• ostrich policy
• ostrich politics

Further reading

• Ostrich effect on Wikipedia.Wikipedia