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Glite Dictionary
buck fever

buck fever

9.6
A nervous feeling a beginner hunter has when they see an animal
  • noun
  • /bʌk ˈfiːvər/
  • Jargon
translation icon : nerviosismo del cazador
  • Draw down on a live animal and they get buck fever.

Examples

  • You got buck fever.

    Split (2017)

  • Don't get intellectual buck fever and, seeing your quarry for what it is, fail to pull the trigger.

    Blog text (29)

  • 'Cause he had buck fever.

    Split (2017)

  • " It's like buck fever.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Uncle John's got buck fever.

    Split (2017)

  • When I spotted the deer in the woods, I felt a rush of buck fever as my heart raced.

  • He experienced buck fever for the first time when a large buck appeared in front of him during the hunt.

  • Despite his preparation, he couldn't control his buck fever when the game finally came into view.

Antonyms

confidence
456 2.1

A belief that you can do something well

calmness
9 2.7

A state without strong feelings or worry in your mind

How Nervous

to panic
272 2.3
jitters
  • Informal
1 5.5
buck fever
  • Jargon
9.6
anxiety
423 3.5
nervousness
36 2.7

Surface Forms

buck fever singular
buck fevers plural

Morphology

buck + fever

The meaning is directly built from 'buck' (a male deer/game) + 'fever' (a state of intense excitement); a learner who knows those words can infer this refers to strong excitement related to encountering a buck. Although the phrase is specialized hunting jargon and may include nuances (e.g. nervousness or inexperience), the core sense of intense excitement is transparently derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Buck fever comes from hunting: one popular story says when a hunter saw a male deer, the buck, they suddenly felt a hot, shaking rush like a fever. So, the phrase means 'nervous excitement' that can make you shake or 'miss your shot'.